Japan PM Kishida arrives in India on maiden visit

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrived in the national capital on Saturday for his first India visit. The Japanese PM, who is on a two-day visit to India, was received by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Kishida, who will be on a two-day visit to India after assuming office, will take part in the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit, besides holding bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to the news agency ANI.

This is Kishida’s first visit to India after assuming office and also amid the ongoing Ukrainian crisis. The last India-Japan Annual Summit took place in Tokyo in October 2018.

Kishida’s visit has assumed significance for both sides because of the Western imposing sanctions against Russia for its military operation in Ukraine with the major oil-consuming countries closely tracking the impact of the crisis on oil prices.

India, Japan, the United States, and Australia, are part of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), a worldwide security framework.

Japan has imposed sanctions on Russian individuals and organisations since the Ukraine invasion began on 24 February and has accepted Ukrainian refugees. India is the only member of Quad that has not condemned the invasion.

The Summit will offer an opportunity to review and strengthen the bilateral cooperation in diverse areas besides exchanging views on regional and global issues of mutual interest in order to advance the partnership for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

PM Modi had spoken to his counterpart Kishida on phone in October 2021 soon after the latter had assumed office. 

India and Japan have multi-faceted cooperation as partners within the ambit of their “Special Strategic and Global Partnership”.

During his visit, Kishida is expected to announce a plan to invest 5 trillion yen (roughly $42 billion) in India over five years in direct investment as well as an increase in Japanese companies expanding in India, Nikkei reported.

He is also set to agree to a 300-billion-yen loan during his meeting with PM Modi and sign an energy cooperation document to reduce carbon, according to the publication.

India, Japan, the United States, and Australia, are part of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), a worldwide security framework.

Japan has imposed sanctions on Russian individuals and organisations since the Ukraine invasion began on 24 February and has accepted Ukrainian refugees. India is the only member of Quad that has not condemned the invasion.