According to EAM Jaishankar, the India-Japan partnership is that of immense importance

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has called for collective efforts by India and Japan to address new challenges like the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing conflicts.

Addressing the India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in Tokyo on Thursday, he stressed on dialogue and diplomacy to find solutions.

"The Covid pandemic and ongoing conflicts demand that we address these new challenges. Energy Security and Food Security have emerged as particularly pressing issue," he said in his opening remarks.

As a responsible member of the international community, India had worked tirelessly, in extending humanitarian aid, medicines, vaccines, food grains and many other forms of assistance, he added.

"As we face these challenges, it is important we work collectively to find common solutions through the path of dialogue and diplomacy," he pointed out.

According to EAM Jaishankar, the India-Japan partnership is a partnership of immense importance. It is rooted in shared values of democracy, freedom, and respect for rule of law, he explained.

He also referred to these challenges in the press statement after the talks, pointing out that the 2nd India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Meeting "takes place in the backdrop of a complicated global environment".

While it was necessary to create resilient and reliable supply chains in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, conflicts and climate events had further aggravated the global economic situation, creating deep anxieties in respect of energy and food security, he said. "Trust and transparency are our shared concerns in a digitized world" he noted.

"In the face of such challenges, the case for India and Japan to collaborate more closely on foreign policy and security questions has become even stronger," he reiterated.

He also pointed out that India and Japan "have a particular responsibility" for ensuring a free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

"Our consultations in various formats have dwelt on the imperative of economic security. We are also working together on cyber security, 5G deployment and critical and strategic minerals," EAM Jaishankar added.

According to EAM Jaishankar, the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership reflects interests and increasingly our footprint that extend well beyond the immediate region. "In growing our own ties and working with other partners, we are both guided by shared values and common principles," he stated. Attachments area