NEW DELHI, May 25 (ANI) — Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Monday said India and Japan must act as a “driving force” behind Tokyo’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) initiative to help Indo-Pacific nations become more resilient and self-reliant amid major shifts in the global order.
Delivering opening remarks during his meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar as part of his two-day visit to India, Motegi said the world is currently experiencing heightened geopolitical uncertainty due to changing global power dynamics.
“The world is faced with the most significant structural change in the post-war era, driven by shifts in the balance of power and the intensification of conflict and confrontations, and as you rightly pointed out, the security environment has become increasingly severe,” Motegi said.
He recalled remarks made by Jaishankar during the 18th India-Japan Foreign Ministerial Strategic Dialogue in January, where India emphasized its responsibility in shaping the international order.
“Against such a backdrop, at the outset of the Foreign Ministerial Strategic Dialogue in January, you stated that Japan and India not only have opportunities, but also we have an obligation and responsibility to shape the international order. That was really encouraging,” he added.
Outlining Japan’s updated FOIP vision, Motegi said Tokyo aims to strengthen resilience and self-reliance across Indo-Pacific nations.
“Early this month, Prime Minister Takaichi and I delivered policy speeches on updating the Free and Open Indo-Pacific, or FOIP, in Vietnam and Kenya, respectively. The key points of the update were to help countries obtain resilience and capability to decide for themselves across all domains of the economy, society, and security,” he said.
Motegi stressed that cooperation under the FOIP framework should be tailored to the individual needs of partner nations to promote regional prosperity and stability.
“And we aim to advance cooperation tailored to each country’s needs, so that the entire region can become more resilient and prosperous together. To that end, Japan and India indeed need to serve as the driving force of such an initiative, and I look forward to working closely with you also through the Quad framework,” he added.
Motegi is also scheduled to participate in the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on May 26, alongside India, the United States, and Australia, under the chairmanship of Jaishankar.
Japan’s updated FOIP framework, unveiled earlier this month, emphasizes building a more resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific region based on the principles of freedom, openness, inclusiveness, diversity, and the rule of law.
The revised vision acknowledges rapid global changes driven by technological advances, the rise of Global South economies, and growing geopolitical tensions, while maintaining the initiative’s original principles established in 2016.
The updated framework focuses on strengthening resilience and self-reliance across economic, social, and security sectors in Indo-Pacific countries. Japan plans to support partner nations through customized cooperation alongside allies such as the United States and other like-minded countries.
Key priorities include strengthening supply chains for energy and critical minerals, developing AI- and data-driven infrastructure, promoting innovation and economic growth through public-private cooperation, and expanding regional security partnerships using tools such as Official Development Assistance (ODA), Official Security Assistance (OSA), and defense cooperation.
The meeting between the two foreign ministers took place ahead of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which is expected to focus on advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Jaishankar is scheduled to chair Tuesday’s Quad meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. (ANI)
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