Rajnath Singh and S Jaishankar to lead delegation at 2+2 dialogue between India & Japan

The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday informed that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will be heading the Indian delegation at the inaugural meeting of the India-Japan Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue (2+2), which is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on Saturday.

The meeting between the Defence and External Affairs heads of both countries is being held in pursuance of the decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during the 13th India-Japan Annual Summit which took place in Japan in October 2018. The summit was organised to institute a Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue for further strengthening of bilateral security and defence cooperation.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Japanese delegation attending the meeting in New Delhi on Saturday will be attended by country's Foreign Affairs Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defence Minister Taro Kono. The country's Foreign Affairs Minister Toshimitsu Motegi took to his official Twitter handle on Friday and informed about his upcoming visit to India. 

He wrote, "We will visit India today and hold the first Japan-India Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting (“2 + 2”) and strategic dialogue between foreign ministers. I would like to discuss the direction of concrete cooperation toward the realisation of a “free and open Indo-Pacific”, regional and international situations, etc. between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Defence of both countries. We will also honour Prime Minister Modi on this occasion."

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About the '2+2' meeting

The 2+2 meeting between India and Japan will provide an opportunity for both sides to review the status and exchange further views on strengthening the defence and security cooperation between India and Japan. It will also aim at providing greater depth to the 'India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership'.

Both the countries will also share views on the situation in the Indo-Pacific region and their respective efforts under India's 'Act East Policy' and Japan's 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific Vision' for achieving their shared objective of peace, prosperity and progress and to realize a better future for the people of the two countries and the region.

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(With inputs from ANI)