India and Japan will contribute to an Indo-Pacific that is open, free, and inclusive, with respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity: Prime Minister Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an op-ed published in a leading Japanese newspaper on Monday that India and Japan will contribute to the creation of an open, free, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, connected by secure seas, integrated by trade and investment, defined by respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and anchored in international law.

Prime Minister Modi, who is in Japan for a two-day visit at the invitation of his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, wrote an op-ed in the Yomiuri Shimbun daily about the vibrant relations between India and Japan.

We can be major pillars of a strong and safe Indo-Pacific region as two democracies strategically placed in the region. That is why, he explained, our collaboration is growing into other sectors.

From exercises and information exchanges to defence production, our defence links are quickly strengthening. In the op-ed headlined India-Japan: A Partnership for Peace, Stability, and Prosperity, Modi added, “We are doing more in the cyber, space, and underwater domains.”

Amid China’s aggressive actions in the region, he wrote that India and Japan will also contribute to building an open, free, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, connected by secure seas, integrated by trade and investment, defined by respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and anchored in international law.

Many countries in the crucial Indo-Pacific region have territorial issues with China. Although Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam all claim parts of the disputed South China Sea, China claims practically all of it. In the South China Sea, Beijing has constructed artificial islands and military outposts. In the East China Sea, it is also embroiled in a maritime conflict with Japan.

We are promoting initiatives for development, infrastructure, connectivity, sustainability, health, vaccines, capacity building, and humanitarian disaster response in the region, together and with like-minded partners in the region and beyond, in institutions and arrangements like Quad, Prime Minister Modi said. He believes that a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region is essential for a brighter future for the entire planet.

Small statues of Mizaru, Kikazaru, and Iwazaru, the Three Wise Monkeys, were among Mahatma Gandhi‘s prized personal possessions, he stated. According to Modi, Gurudev Tagore’s affection for Japan and interaction with Okakura Tenshin were essential in building early connections between artists and intellectuals on both sides, and Justice Radha Binod Pal is a well-known figure in Japan.

These strong relationships created the groundwork for a modern India-Japan partnership, which is still growing even as the two countries mark the 70th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations, he said. Prime Minister Modi stated that his belief in this cooperation began during his time as Gujarat’s Chief Minister.