India, Japan to hold their first foreign and defence ministerial dialogue today
1 min read 30 Nov 2019, 11:31 AM ISTIndian delegation will be led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Foreign Minister S JaishankarJapan's Foreign Affairs Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defence Minister Taro Kono will lead the Japanese side
PremiumNEW DELHI: India and Japan will hold their first ever Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue (2+2) in New Delhi on Saturday during which the two sides are expected to discuss boosting defence and security ties besides other issues of mutual interest.
The Indian delegation will be led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar. Japan's Foreign Affairs Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defence Minister Taro Kono will lead the Japanese side.
The 2+2 ministerial dialogue is seen as an upgrade of the meeting between foriegn and defence secretaries of the two countries, the first round of which took place in 2010. The upgrade to the ministerial level talks follows an agreement reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe during the 13th India-Japan Annual Summit held in Japan in October 2018.
India has a similar ministerial level 2+2’ dialogue with the US as well.
The India-Japan ministerial meeting on Saturday comes ahead of the annual summit of the two prime ministers next month, scheduled to be held in Guwahati.
"The 2+2 meeting would provide an opportunity for the two sides to review the status of and exchange further views on strengthening defence and security cooperation between India and Japan so as to provide greater depth to the 'India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership'," the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement.
The two sides will also exchange 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 to realise a better future for the people of the two countries and the region.
