India sees Japan as a 'natural partner' in its journey, development and quest for stability in Indo-Pacific: Jaishankar

Tokyo: India on Thursday said it sees Japan as a “natural partner” in its journey, development and transformation, and in its quest for peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

In his opening remarks at the 16th India-Japan Foreign Ministers Strategic Dialogue in Tokyo, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also said that 2023 was a landmark year in the bilateral relationship.

“We see Japan as a natural partner in India’s journey, development and transformation, and in its quest for peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific,” said Jaishankar, who is in Tokyo for the second leg of his four-day visit to South Korea and Japan.

India and Japan are members of QUAD - a four-member strategic security dialogue that also includes the US and Australia.

Jaishankar's visit and meetings in Tokyo will provide strategic guidance to India's functional cooperation in various areas, impart further momentum to bilateral exchanges, and set the agenda for future cooperation, the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi said in a statement ahead of his visit.