He invited Japan to participate in the next round of consultations on Ukraine’s Peace Formula at the level of national security advisors and in the Global Peace Summit…reports Asian Lite News
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has discussed security guarantees for his country during phone talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the president’s press service said.
Zelensky on Tuesday praised the joint declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine adopted by the Group of Seven (G7), urging Japan to conclude bilateral agreements under the document, Xinhua news agency reported.
“We are ready to start this negotiation process with Japan as soon as possible,” Zelensky stressed.
He invited Japan to participate in the next round of consultations on Ukraine’s Peace Formula at the level of national security advisors and in the Global Peace Summit.
During the conversation, the parties also discussed the prospects for the extension of the Black Sea “grain corridor” for exporting foodstuffs from Ukraine by creating alternative routes.
Another topic of the talks was the preparation for the Ukraine Recovery Conference scheduled to take place in Japan early next year.
Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, said the Russian invasion looms large, and would be a significant conversation during the summit…reports Asian Lite News
President Joe Biden arrived in Japan Thursday with plans to meet privately with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida ahead of the larger Group of Seven summit — a sign of how the economic and national security alliance between the two countries has strengthened.
Kishida’s home city of Hiroshima will play host to the gathering of major industrialised nations. The setting of Hiroshima, where the US dropped the first nuclear bomb in 1945 during World War II, carries newfound resonance as the US, Japan and their allies strategise on dealing with Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, said the Russian invasion looms large, and would be a significant conversation during the summit.
“There will be discussions about the battlefield,” Sullivan said aboard Air Force One, stressing that the G-7 leaders would work to seal off any loopholes in sanctions so their effect can be maximised.
“There’ll be discussions about the state of play on sanctions and the steps that the G-7 will collectively commit to on enforcement in particular.”
Sullivan said the alliance between the US and Japan was at a “genuine high-water mark.”
He said Biden and Kishida, in their meeting, will aim to advance a relationship that’s progressed over the course of the last two years “in every dimension, whether it’s the military dimension of the alliance, the economic dimension, the recently concluded agreement on clean energy, the work we’re doing together on economic security.”
Last year, Biden came to Tokyo to discuss Indo-Pacific strategy and launch a new trade framework for the region, with the US president and Kishida engaging in an 85-minute tea ceremony and seafood dinner.
Kishida was quick to call out the risks of nuclear-power Russia invading Ukraine in 2022, saying then, “Ukraine today could be East Asia tomorrow.”
China has declared a limitless friendship with Russia, increasing trade in ways that blunted the ability of financial sanctions to constrain the war. But the US and its allies say China has yet to ship military equipment to Russia, a sign that the friendship might have some boundaries.
70 CEOs ask G7 leaders to support net-zero commitments
Biden and Kishida also have economic matters to consider. The US and Japan have begun to redefine global trade with an eye toward supply chain resilience and national security.
They recently signed an agreement on critical mineral supply chains. They’re also cooperating on the development of renewable energy sources and partnering on efforts to limit China’s access to advanced computer chips.
Kishida hopes to discuss further strengthening of deterrence and response capability with Biden in the face of China’s assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as confirming the importance of the Taiwan Strait for global peace and stability. China has asserted that self-governing Taiwan should come under its rule. US officials have been briefed on the possible economic damage caused by a war over Taiwan, which would disrupt the supply of advanced computer chips.
Japan is also keen to discuss ways to reinforce its three-way partnership with the US and Seoul following an April agreement between the United States and South Korea to strengthen their tools to deter the risk of a nuclear attack by North Korea.
Kishida and Biden will hold a trilateral summit with South Korea’s Yoon Suk Yeol on the sidelines of the G-7 summit. But Kishida is in a complicated position by discussing efforts to respond to nuclear threats by North Korea with Japan’s history of also calling for a world free from nuclear arms, said Kan Kimura, a Kobe University professor and an expert on South Korea.
In the wake of World War II, Japan embraced pacifism. The atomic bomb scorched Hiroshima, killing 140,000 people and destroying most of the river delta city’s buildings. But current conditions are testing Japan’s pacifism and anti-nuclear weapon tradition.
“Kishida is from Hiroshima, believes deeply in the disarmament agenda,” said Christopher Johnstone, a senior adviser at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank. “Of course, Kishida is walking a fine line. He recognizes the need for the nuclear umbrella, Japan’s dependence on US extended deterrence — that that’s more vital than ever, frankly, in the current security environment.”
There are outstanding issues between the US and China. During a January meeting with Kishida, Biden brought up the case of Lt. Ridge Alkonis, a US Navy officer deployed to Japan who last year was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to the negligent driving deaths of two Japanese citizens in May 2021, according to a senior administration official.
Alkonis also agreed to pay the victims USD 1.65 million in restitution. His family is seeking his release, saying he was detained until he confessed.
As much as Biden believes he has improved relations with US allies, he still faces political turmoil at home.
The president on Wednesday curtailed part of his trip across the Pacific Ocean. He will skip Papua New Guinea and Australia in order to return to Washington in hopes of finalising a deal to raise the federal government’s debt limit.
“The work that we need to do bilaterally with Australia and with the Pacific Islands is work that can be done at a later date, whereas the final stretch of negotiations over the debt limit or the budget cannot be done at a later date,” Sullivan said Wednesday.
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. (Photo:Xinhua/IANS)
The last visit by a Japanese prime minister to South Korea was made by Shinzo Abe in February 2018…reports Asian Lite News
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida could make his first visit to South Korea since taking office in early May to hold a summit with President Yoon Suk Yeol, Japanese media reported on Sunday.
The Yomiuri Shimbun cited multiple diplomatic sources saying Kishida’s visit could take place on May 7 or 8 to reciprocate Yoon’s visit to Tokyo in March. If realised, the trip will mark Kishida’s first to South Korea since taking office, Yonhap news agency reported.
Several other newspapers also carried similar reports.
The last visit by a Japanese prime minister to South Korea was made by Shinzo Abe in February 2018.
Yoon held a summit with Kishida in Tokyo in March in the wake of his government’s decision to compensate Korean victims of Japanese wartime forced labor without contributions from Japanese firms.
Yoon was the first South Korean president in 12 years to make a bilateral visit to Japan, as the two countries’ relations had been strained over a series of historical disputes stemming from Tokyo’s 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
The two leaders agreed during their summit to resume shuttle diplomacy, or regular visits to each other’s countries.
PM Modi and his Japanese counterpart spoke about the newly established India-Japan Industrial Competitiveness Partnership, and they acknowledged its success…reports Asian Lite News
On Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, pledged to expand their countries’ global strategic partnership, citing its significance in promoting a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, as well as benefiting both nations in various areas.
They met in New Delhi after Japanese Prime Minister Kishida arrived in India on Monday for a two-day visit aimed at boosting bilateral ties in multiple fields, besides exploring the convergence between India’s G20 presidency and Japan’s G7 presidency to tackle global issues. During the meeting, the two leaders discussed trade, defence, health, digital partnership, and the importance of reliable supply chains for critical technologies like semiconductors.
The meeting holds tremendous importance for India-Japan Economic Cooperation, as the partnership between both countries has made remarkable progress in recent years, covering all aspects of mutual engagement, including the growing convergence of political, strategic, and economic interests.
PM Kishida: After the summit meeting, I visited Buddha Jayanti Park, at Prime Minister Modi's invitation.
During the meeting, PM Modi emphasized that the India-Japan relationship is one of the most natural partnerships in the region, built on shared values of democracy, freedom, and respect for the rule of law. He added that economic cooperation is a vital component of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, which is crucial for promoting peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Apart from this, the two leaders also held substantive discussions on key topics of bilateral cooperation, including defense and security, climate and energy, people-to-people exchanges, skill development, and innovation. The leaders also discussed regional issues of significance, with a particular emphasis on economic cooperation.
Additionally, India and Japan have set ambitious targets for themselves in the economic sphere, and the two countries are committed to working together to achieve them. Japan has set a target of investing 5 trillion yen in India over the next five years. The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the progress made toward achieving this target.
Moreover, PM Modi and his Japanese counterpart spoke about the newly established India-Japan Industrial Competitiveness Partnership, and they acknowledged its success.
Their meeting also provided an opportunity to review the progress on the High-Speed Rail (Bullet Train) project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
India and Japan signed documents for the fourth tranche of the Japanese loan for the project. The exchange of notes for a loan of 300 billion Yen took place on the sidelines of the meeting between Prime Modi and Japanese PM Kishida in New Delhi.
A walk-through the India-Japan relationship rooted in spiritual affinity!
This was the fourth tranche of the total of Rs 18,000 crore loan by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the High Speed Rail project.
The project will use Japanese Shinkansen (Bullet Train) technology. It is envisaged that the 508-km distance between Mumbai and Ahmedabad will be covered in two hours and seven minutes with a maximum operational speed of 320 kilometer per hour (kmph).
“In September this year, I will again get the opportunity to welcome PM Fumio Kishida to India for the G20 Leaders’ Summit,” Modi said…reports Asian Lite News
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday announced over USD 75 billion worth of infrastructure and security assistance for the Indo-Pacific during his visit to India.
The new development assistance, to be supplied by 2030 in conjunction with the private sector, came as Kishida outlined his own vision for a “free and open Indo-Pacific.” He credited his late predecessor Shinzo Abe with pushing the concept back in 2016.
Since then, Kishida said, the international community has seen major events that could be described as paradigm shifts, including the COVID pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This obliges “us to face the most fundamental challenge — defending peace,” the Japanese leader said.
Kishida’s two-day visit to India comes against a backdrop of not only war in Europe but also concerns about growing Chinese influence across the Indo-Pacific region. This has included major infrastructure investment under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, fueling development but also raising concerns about unsustainable debt in Global South nations such as Sri Lanka, according to Nikkei Asia.
The Japanese Prime Minister has called for advancing “quality infrastructure investment,” in line with the goals of the Group of 20, chaired by India this year. The PM has as part of the proposed aid, also offered free security assistance to the armed forces of like-minded nations.
But he also warned against unchecked “division and confrontation.”
“In the international community, a big balance of power change is occurring,” he said in his speech, which was delivered in Japanese. The idea of a free and open Indo-Pacific, he stressed, is rooted in the rule of law as well as respect for diversity, inclusiveness and openness. “In other words, we do not exclude anyone, we do not create camps.”
Kishida added, “I believe we should aim for a world where diverse nations coexist and prosper together under the rule of law without falling into the geopolitical competition.” Saying his vision required the cooperation of multiple stakeholders, he said, “Of course, India is indispensable.”
PM Modi, his Japan counterpart Kishida on Monday exchanged views on defence equipment and technology cooperation, trade, health, digital partnership and also had a fruitful discussion on importance of reliable supply chains in semiconductor and other critical technologies.
The two leaders had “excellent talks” during Kishida’s visit to New Delhi with PM Modi stating that strengthening bilateral partnership is not only important for both our countries, it also promotes peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (ANI)
Together we will advance sustainable and inclusive growth while tackling shared challenges like the climate, energy, and food crises”…reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has thanked his counterparts from the US, France, and Japan for their support as congratulatory messages continue to pour in on India’s assumption of the G20 Presidency.
“Thank you @POTUS. Your valued support will be a source of strength for India’s G-20 Presidency. It is important we all work together to build a better planet,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted on Sunday in reply to a message from US President Joe Biden.
Thank you @POTUS. Your valued support will be a source of strength for India’s G-20 Presidency. It is important we all work together to build a better planet. https://t.co/FbGQ3WHCza
President Biden had earlier written, “India is a strong partner of the United States, and I look forward to supporting my friend Prime Minister Modi during India’s G20 presidency.
Together we will advance sustainable and inclusive growth while tackling shared challenges like the climate, energy, and food crises”.
Prime Minister Modi also thanked Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and tweeted, ” Your solidarity is vital. Japan has contributed a lot to global well-being and I am confident the world will continue to learn from Japan’s successes on various fronts. @kishida230″.
Your solidarity is vital. Japan has contributed a lot to global well-being and I am confident the world will continue to learn from Japan’s successes on various fronts. @kishida230https://t.co/xQtFgoQe5e
“Congratulations, PM Modi @narendramodi, on assuming the G20 Presidency. As the G7 Presidency next year, I also look forward to working closely with you in addressing various challenges that the intentional community faces,” the Japanese Prime Minister had tweeted.
In a separate message on Twitter, Prime Minister Modi thanked French President Emmanuel Macron and wrote, “Thank you, my dear friend @EmmanuelMacron! I look forward to consulting you closely during India’s G20 Presidency, as we work to focus the world’s attention on the issues that affect humanity as a whole”.
Thank you, my dear friend @EmmanuelMacron! I look forward to consulting you closely during India's G20 Presidency, as we work to focus the world's attention on the issues that affect humanity as a whole. https://t.co/nolvLwuYln
India has taken over the presidency of #G20India! I trust my friend @NarendraModi to bring us together in order to build peace and a more sustainable world,” the French President had tweeted.
Prime Minister Modi also responded to a message from Spanish President Pedro Sanchez. “Gratitude for your kind works Mr. @sanchezcastejon. Fully endorse your views on collectively working to mitigate challenges of the present to leave a better planet for the coming generations,” he wrote on Twitter.
The Spanish President had earlier said, “We must keep working together to address global challenges and to ensure fair & inclusive green and digital transitions. One Earth, One Family, One Future.
We must keep working together to address global challenges and to ensure fair & inclusive green and digital transitions. One Earth, One Family, One Future.
All the best to @narendramodi in the #G20India Presidency. You can count on Spain’s support!”
European Council President Charl s Michel was also among those who sent in their good wishes to India. “Congratulations to India on the start of its #G20 presidency. Looking forward to working with @narendramodi as his country will lead discussions on how to address the world’s most pressing challenges in 2023”.
Prime Minister Modi replied, “Thank you Mr. @CharlesMichel. Looking forward to your active participation as we collectively work towards furthering global good”.
Modi is among the thousand dignitaries from across the world to participate in the state funeral being held at the Nippon Budokan arena in central Tokyo…reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a day-long visit to Tokyo to attend the state funeral of late leader Shinzo Abe, met his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida on Tuesday and held a bilateral meeting.
Following the meeting, Modi said in a tweet: “Had a fruitful meeting with PM Kishida. We discussed various bilateral subjects. I conveyed my condolences on the tragic demise of former PM Shinzo Abe.”
During the meeting, Prime Minister Modi noted the contributions of Abe in strengthening India-Japan partnership as well in conceptualizing the vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs said.
Had a fruitful meeting with PM Kishida. We discussed various bilateral subjects. I conveyed my condolences on the tragic demise of former PM Shinzo Abe. @kishida230pic.twitter.com/B46HQ4tbca
Modi and Kishida also discussed a number of regional and global issues and renewed their commitment towards further strengthening the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, working together in the region, as well as in various international groupings and institutions, the statement added.
Modi is among the thousand dignitaries from across the world to participate in the state funeral being held at the Nippon Budokan arena in central Tokyo.
Abe, 67, was assassinated on July 8 while he was addressing an election campaign in the city of Nara.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said a huge market for clean energy technologies is emerging in India, calling G-7 countries to invest in research, innovation, and manufacturing in this field…reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said a huge market for clean energy technologies is emerging in India, calling G-7 countries to invest in research, innovation, and manufacturing in this field.
Modi, during his speech at the session on ‘Investing in a better Future: Climate, Energy, Health’ at G7 Summit in Germany, said ancient India has seen a time of immense prosperity.
“Then we have also tolerated the centuries of slavery, and now independent India is the fastest-growing big economy in the whole world.
“But during this whole period, India did not let its commitment to the environment get diluted even a single bit. 17 per cent of the world’s population resides in India. But, our contribution of global carbon emissions is only 5 per cent. The main reason behind this is our lifestyle, which is based on the theory of co-existence with nature,” he said.
Ich reise aus Deutschland nach einem produktiven Besuch ab, bei dem ich am @G7-Gipfel teilgenommen habe, mit mehreren führenden Politikern der Welt gesprochen habe und Teil eines denkwürdigen Gemeinschaftsprogramm in München war. pic.twitter.com/vUZTeUr0Nd
He further said: “All of you will also agree with this that energy access should not be the privilege of the rich only – a poor family also has the same rights on energy. And today when energy costs are sky-high due to geopolitical tensions, it is more important to remember this thing. By taking inspiration from this principle, we delivered LED bulbs and clean cooking gas door-to-door in India and showed that millions of tons of carbon emissions can be saved while ensuring energy for the poor.
“Our dedication to climate commitments is evident from our performance. We have achieved the target of 40 per cent energy-capacity from non-fossil sources 9 years before time. The target of 10 per cent ethanol-blending in petrol has been achieved 5 months before time. India has the world’s first fully solar power operated airport. India’s huge railway system will become net zero in this decade,” said the Prime Minister.
Modi said when a large country like India shows such ambition, other developing countries also get inspiration.
“We hope that the rich countries of G-7 will support India’s efforts. Today, a huge market for clean energy technologies is emerging in India. G-7 countries can invest in research, innovation, and manufacturing in this field. The scale that India can provide for every new technology can make that technology affordable for the whole world. The core theories of the circular economy have been an integral part of Indian culture and lifestyle,” he added.
“I called for a movement called LIFE – Lifestyle for Environment – in Glasgow last year. This year on World Environment Day, we launched the Global Initiative for LiFE campaign. The goal of this campaign is to encourage an eco-friendly lifestyle. We can call the followers of this movement Triple-P i.e. ‘pro planet people’, and we should all take the responsibility of increasing the number of Triple-P people in our own countries. This will be our greatest contribution to the coming generations,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister further said humans and planet health are interconnected.
“Therefore, we have adopted the approach of one world, one health. During the pandemic, India found many creative ways to use digital technology in the health sector. G7 countries can help India to take these innovations to other developing countries. Recently we all celebrated the International Day of Yoga. In times of the Covid crisis, Yoga has become a great tool for preventive health for people all over the world, this helped many people to maintain their physical and mental health,” PM Modi said.
Modi, Macron meet
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Germany for the G7 Summit, held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday.
Modi shared pictures of him having tea with Macron as they discussed bilateral relations.
The Prime Minister earlier met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
“Excellent meeting with @Bundeskanzler Scholz. Thanked him for the warm hospitality during the @G7 Summit. We discussed cooperation in key sectors like commerce and energy. We also had deliberations on furthering environmentally friendly growth for our planet,” he tweeted after meeting German Chancellor.
The PM also met South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Biden reached out to PM
US President Joe Biden’s outreach to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi by stepping out to greet him at the G7 summit in Germany is being perceived as a calculated political move to garner his support on the Quad and other multilateral issues on the table.
TV grabs and pictures of the event have gone viral especially in India and on the internet raising curiosity as to why would Biden do such a thing unless there was an agenda behind it, sources not wishing to be named said.
The US needs India’s support on the Russia Ukraine war where India has maintained a low-profile ambivalent stand in the Quad group with India’s External Affairs Ministry not making any statement that could reportedly upset the balance in the long traditional ties India has had with Russia over the years and with multibillion dollar military supplies at stake, even though the BJP-led NDA has come off to the world as an ultra-right wing party aligned more with the west than the east, analysts feel.
While Biden might persuade India to restrict oil imports from Russia and look at the global demand supply management in several countries including India where inflation is soaring, India would reiterate its position that it is unfairly being targeted for its imports from Russia on oil while most of the west looks to Russia for energy supplies and imports minerals, fertilisers and ores.
Japan announced a plan to invest 5 trillion yen ($42 billion) in India over five years…reports Asian Lite News
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi listening, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Saturday called out Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, describing it as a “serious development” that has “shaken the foundation of international order”.
Modi, who held talks with Kishida at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, did not mention Ukraine directly and referred to “geopolitical developments”.
“Geopolitical developments are presenting a new set of challenges. In this context, the deepening of India-Japan partnership is not only important for the two countries, but also for the Indo-Pacific region and will encourage peace, prosperity and stability for the world,” Modi said, adding that they also exchanged views on regional and global issues.
At a briefing after the meeting of the two leaders, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said the Prime Ministers also discussed the China-India border standoff in Ladakh.
Japan announced a plan to invest 5 trillion yen ($42 billion) in India over five years.
This follows from the Investment Promotion Partnership of 2014 when both sides agreed for JPY 3.5 trillion investment during 2014-19. That target has been met, taking into account the Official Development Assistance and investments from Japan. The new target will provide scope for greater involvement of Japanese companies in the Indian economy.
The joint statement said that the Prime Ministers noted with appreciation that since the elevation of ties to a Special Strategic and Global Partnership, there had been significant growth in economic cooperation.
“They expressed satisfaction that the investment target of JPY (Japanese Yen) 3.5 trillion announced in 2014 has been achieved. Noting steps taken by India to improve the business environment for Japanese investors in India, as well as other measures to boost economic growth and improve ease of doing business, they expressed their shared intention to realize JPY 5 trillion of public and private investment and financing from Japan to India in the next five years, to finance appropriate public and private projects of mutual interest,” it said.
The two sides signed pacts on cyber security and announced a clean energy partnership.
They agreed to convene a two-plus-two meeting between their Foreign and Defence ministers at the earliest.
They also signed pacts on loans to the tune of Rs 20,400 crore for projects in connectivity, water supply and sewerage, horticulture, healthcare, and biodiversity conservation in different states.
After meeting Modi, Kishida, on his first visit to India as Prime Minister, said, “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a very serious development which has shaken the foundation of international order. I have expressed my views to Prime Minister Modi. I conveyed that unilateral attempts to change the status quo by use of force should never be allowed in any sphere.”
Economic ties between India and Japan are getting more robust. Japan is among the top investors in India. Based on the trend of the last few years, we are aiming to reach an investment target of 5 trillion Yen in the coming 5 years. This will bring great economic opportunities.
Japan’s comments are in sync with its position articulated during the Quad leaders’ summit — it has joined hands with the US and Europe to condemn Russia’s actions and has imposed sanctions as well.
He said Modi and he agreed that “peaceful solution is needed for all problems as per international law”. And in view of these developments, he said, both countries should make efforts for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
He said Japan, along with India, will keep appealing for a ceasefire, and will want the conflict resolved through diplomacy.
The Japan PM’s spokesperson Hikariko Ono said “most of the time” of the discussion was spent on the Ukraine situation. She said the leaders met for 110 minutes.
She also flagged the issue of nuclear threats from Russia. “PM Kishida, who is from Hiroshima, which was badly devastated at the end of the Second World War” has said “any nuclear threat laid out on its use cannot be tolerated”.
She said Kishida actually called the Russian aggression “an outrage” and a clear violation of international law.
Foreign Secretary Shringla said Ukraine was discussed during the bilateral meeting and quoted from the joint statement.
While the statement did not mention Russian aggression, it said the Prime Ministers “expressed their serious concern about the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and assessed its broader implications, particularly to the Indo-Pacific region”.
“They emphasized that the contemporary global order has been built on the UN Charter, international law and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of states,” the joint statement said — a language similar to India’s statements at the UN where it has not named Russia but has flagged issues of concern.
“They underscored the importance of safety and security of nuclear facilities in Ukraine and acknowledged active efforts of the IAEA towards it,” the joint statement said.
The talks with PM @kishida230 were extensive and productive. He has always been a great friend of India’s. We took stock of the progress in our bilateral relations over the last few years. We also discussed various regional and global issues. pic.twitter.com/FaP3xP5o9u
“They reiterated their call for an immediate cessation of violence and noted that there was no other choice but the path of dialogue and diplomacy for resolution of the conflict,” it said, adding that the leaders affirmed that they would undertake appropriate steps to address the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
The summit between the Indian and Japanese PMs took place after three and half years — the last summit was held in Japan in 2018.
The 2019 summit in Guwahati between Modi and Shinzo Abe, his then Japanese counterpart, was cancelled in the wake of protests over the amended citizenship law.
