External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Wednesday underscored that the India–Japan partnership plays a pivotal role in maintaining strategic stability and promoting economic resilience in the Indo-Pacific region. Speaking at the 8th India–Japan Indo-Pacific Forum in New Delhi, he said the growing collaboration between the two democracies reflects their shared commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.

“Our partnership that has deepened so much in the last few decades has greater value than ever before,” Jaishankar stated. “It serves to enhance strategic stability in the Indo-Pacific and contribute to global economic balance. Maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific is now both a stronger imperative and a more complex challenge.”

He congratulated the Delhi Policy Group and the Japan Institute of International Affairs for hosting the forum, which he said continues to strengthen bilateral dialogue on key regional and global issues.

Referring to the recent conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Jaishankar noted that it underscored the priority both governments attach to their strategic partnership. “Prime Minister Modi’s August visit to Japan laid out a joint vision for the next decade, including eight priority pillars and an investment target of 10 trillion yen over 10 years,” he said. The Joint Declaration on security cooperation, he added, marks a new milestone in bilateral defence and security collaboration.

Looking ahead, Jaishankar said the partnership should focus on strengthening supply chains, advancing cooperation in critical and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and clean energy, as well as fostering joint efforts in critical minerals and space exploration.

“As two major democracies and maritime nations, India and Japan share a larger responsibility for ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific,” he emphasized. He also highlighted Japan’s leadership in co-chairing the Maritime Trade, Transport, and Connectivity pillar under India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.

Jaishankar further mentioned that during his meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi at the East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur, both ministers agreed to conduct a detailed review soon to advance cooperation.

He concluded by acknowledging the valuable role of policy think tanks in shaping bilateral relations and regional strategies, saying, “Our partnership has always benefited from the insights of institutions like yours.”