Jaishankar holds talks with Japanese counterpart focusing on India-Japan summit

    New York, Jul 1 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday held talks with his Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya focusing on preparing grounds for India-Japan prime ministerial summit talks later this year.
    Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to travel to Japan for the annual summit.
    The Jaishankar-Iwaya talks took place ahead of a crucial foreign ministerial meeting of the four-nation grouping Quad.
    "We are now preparing for our annual summit in Japan, and we are very confident that we could add to the dynamism and the quality of our relationship," Jaishankar said in his opening remarks at the meeting.
    The external affairs minister said India-Japan "special, strategic and global partnership" has deepened over the years.
    "It is anchored in mutual trust and respect for each other, and a commitment towards a free and open Indo-Pacific and a rules-based order, and our bilateral relations have also grown at the same time, moving from strength to strength."
    "I think we will today be reviewing it. There are some positive developments in our political, security and defence ties, in the growing economic, infrastructure and investment linkages, and in the engagements between Indian states and Japanese prefectures," he said.
    In a social media post after the meeting, Jaishankar said he and Iwaya also discussed ways to deepen engagement under the framework of Quad for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
    "Pleased to meet FM Takeshi Iwaya of Japan in New York this morning. Had comprehensive discussions on infrastructure, investment and mobility," he said.
    "Exchanged views on deepening our Quad engagement for a free and open Indo - Pacific. Our Special, Strategic and Global Partnership continues to deepen and diversify," Jaishankar added.
    The Quad, comprising India, the US, Australia and Japan, has emerged as a key grouping largely focusing on peace, security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
    The Quad foreign ministerial meeting is expected to prepare ground for the grouping's annual summit in New Delhi later this year.
    Besides Jaishankar and Iwaya, the Quad meeting will be attended by Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
    Jaishankar is visiting the US from June 30 to July 2 at the invitation of Rubio.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)