PM Modi holds talks with Japan's Suga, discusses plans to further strengthen ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with his Japanese counterpart Yoshihide Suga on September 25 and shared views on India-Japan Special Strategic & Global Partnership. PM Modi congratulated Suga on his appointment as Japan’s new Prime Minister and wished him success in achieving his goals, said the Prime Minister’s Office in a statement.

“The two leaders concurred that the partnership between the two countries is even more relevant in today’s times given the global challenges, including that of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the statement read.

Prime Minister Modi took to Twitter to inform that he had a "very good" conversation with Suga as they exchanged views on the progress made in bilateral relationship over the last few years. PM Modi added that he is looking to forward to working with Suga to further strengthen the all-round partnership.

PM Modi and Suga reportedly agreed that the India-Japan Special Strategic & Global Partnership has made great advances over the last few years. The duo expressed their intention to further strengthen this relationship based upon “mutual trust and shared values.” They emphasised that the economic architecture of a "free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region" must be premised on resilient supply chains.

“The two leaders appreciated the progress made in the economic partnership between the two countries, and in this context, welcomed the finalization of the text of the agreement pertaining to specialized skilled workers,” the PMO said.

Read: Japan, South Korea Must Cooperate To Counter North Korea, Says Yoshihide Suga

Read: Japan Lawmaker Tomomi Inada Slams Lack Of Gender Balance In PM Yoshihide Suga's Cabinet

PM Modi extends invitation

PM Modi has also extended an invitation to Suga to visit India for the Annual Bilateral Summit after improvement in the COVID-19 pandemic situation. In a separate statement, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the two leaders their intention to steadily advance the high-speed rail project. They also welcomed that the Memorandum of Cooperation on specified skilled workers would be signed in the near future. 

Meanwhile, Japan, India, Australia and the United States are planning to hold a meeting of their foreign ministers in Tokyo in early October. It will be the first cabinet-level meeting in Japan since March after the coronavirus outbreak. Japanese foreign affairs chief Toshimitsu Motegi, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar, and Australian foreign minister Marise Payne will hold QUAD security dialogue.

Read: Japanese Prime Minister Suga Discusses 'free And Open' Indo-Pacific Vision With Trump

Read: Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga To Meet Mike Pompeo In Early October: Report