EAM S Jaishankar met Japanese FM Takeshi Iwaya at the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Washington, D.C., reaffirming strong India-Japan ties and discussing deeper Quad engagement for a free and open Indo-Pacific. His visit, at the invitation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, focuses on regional and global developments
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. File Pic.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on the sidelines of the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting (QFMM) in Washington, D.C., reaffirming the robust India-Japan ties and their strategic coordination in the Indo-Pacific region.
Taking to the social media platform X, Jaishankar wrote, "Pleased to meet FM Takeshi Iwaya of Japan in New York this morning. Had comprehensive discussions on infrastructure, investment and mobility. Exchanged views on deepening our Quad engagement for a free and open Indo-Pacific." He further added that the "Special, Strategic and Global Partnership continues to deepen and diversify," reflecting the growing momentum in India-Japan ties across multiple sectors.
Jaishankar is currently on an official visit to the United States at the invitation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to participate in the QFMM, as reported by ANI. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the meeting will build upon discussions from the last QFMM held in January and focus on pertinent regional and global developments, particularly those in the Indo-Pacific.
"The Ministers will also review the progress made on Quad initiatives and deliberate on new proposals to advance the shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific," the MEA stated. The Quad itself is a diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, committed to supporting an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient.
Meanwhile the Quad's origins date back to the collaborative response to the devastating December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
Prior to his arrival in Washington, Jaishankar inaugurated an exhibition at the United Nations in New York titled 'The Human Cost of Terrorism', underscoring India's strong stance against terrorism. "Terrorism anywhere is a threat to peace everywhere," he asserted at the UN Headquarters, calling for zero tolerance and global cooperation to effectively combat this menace.
During his US visit, EAM Jaishankar also spoke to Newsweek, where he lauded the enduring strength of India-US ties over the past 25 years. He specifically emphasised that under the last five US Presidents – Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden – the bilateral relationship has consistently grown stronger.
Moreover, EAM Jaishankar expressed optimism regarding ongoing trade negotiations between India and the US. "We are in the middle, hopefully more than the middle, of a very intricate trade negotiation. My hope would be that we bring it to a successful conclusion," he said, while acknowledging that a final agreement is contingent on both sides.
Further highlighting the structural drivers such as economics, technology, education, security, and energy, he affirmed that these factors continue to strengthen the India-US relationship. He also noted that whilst differences may occasionally arise, the ability to address them constructively has helped maintain a positive trajectory, reported ANI.
Jaishankar's visit comes at a critical juncture as India prepares to host the upcoming Quad Leaders' Summit. His engagements in the US are strategically aimed at deepening India's critical strategic partnerships and advancing shared goals not only in the Indo-Pacific but also beyond.
Sources
(With inputs from ANI)
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