India and Japan hold talks on Indo-Pacific security as they eye China's activity

NEW DELHI -- The foreign and defense ministers of India and Japan Tuesday held security talks in New Delhi, aiming to bolster their strategic partnership in the Indo-Pacific as they seek to counter China's increasingly assertive economic and military activities in the region.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh met with their Japanese counterparts in the two governments’ third so-called “two-plus-two” talks since their launch in 2019.

India and Japan said in a joint statement that the two sides reviewed their bilateral cooperation and had a “wide-ranging discussion on regional and global issues focusing on the shared Indo-Pacific region.”

“As we both step forward into a more volatile and unpredictable world, there is a need for reliable partners with whom there are substantial convergences. As a result, we have consciously sought to facilitate each other’s endeavours and comprehend each others’ objectives,” Jaishankar said ahead of the talks.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held a meeting with Japan’s foreign and defense ministers.

India and Japan, members of the Quad grouping that also includes the United States and Australia, have rapidly intensified bilateral ties as they watch China's rise with concern.

In recent years, the two countries have also ramped up defense collaboration, including in the field of defense equipment and technology transfers.

Japan is only the second country after the U.S. with which India has used the “two-plus-two” dialogue format, which brings the foreign and defense ministers together for talks.

The last such meeting between the two countries was held in Tokyo in 2022.

India and Japan share strong economic ties, with bilateral trade valued at $20.57 billion in fiscal year 2021-2022.

Japan has been supporting infrastructure development in India, including a high-speed rail project.