WASHINGTON, D.C., July 1 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on the sidelines of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (QFMM) in Washington, D.C., reaffirming India-Japan ties and their shared strategic vision for the Indo-Pacific region.
Sharing details of the meeting on social media platform X, Jaishankar wrote, “Pleased to meet FM Takeshi Iwaya of Japan in New York this morning. Had comprehensive discussions on infrastructure, investment and mobility. Exchanged views on deepening our Quad engagement for a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
He further emphasized that the “Special, Strategic and Global Partnership continues to deepen and diversify,” highlighting the growing collaboration between the two nations across multiple sectors.
Jaishankar is currently in the United States at the invitation of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to participate in the QFMM. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the meeting is set to build on discussions from the previous QFMM held in January and will focus on pressing regional and global developments, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.
“The Ministers will also review the progress made on Quad initiatives and deliberate on new proposals to advance the shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” the MEA said in a statement.
The Quad, comprising Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, is a diplomatic coalition committed to fostering a stable, prosperous, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific. The group’s roots date back to joint cooperation in response to the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
Before arriving in Washington, Jaishankar inaugurated an exhibition at the United Nations Headquarters in New York titled The Human Cost of Terrorism, underscoring India’s steadfast stance against terrorism. “Terrorism anywhere is a threat to peace everywhere,” he declared, calling for global cooperation and zero tolerance in combating terrorism.
During his U.S. visit, Jaishankar also gave an interview to Newsweek, where he praised the resilience and progress of India-U.S. relations over the past 25 years. He noted that under the leadership of the last five U.S. presidents—Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden—the bilateral relationship has continually strengthened.
Speaking on trade negotiations currently underway between the two nations, Jaishankar expressed optimism. “We are in the middle, hopefully more than the middle, of a very intricate trade negotiation. My hope would be that we bring it to a successful conclusion,” he stated, while acknowledging that the outcome depends on mutual agreement.
He also highlighted structural factors—such as economics, technology, education, security, and energy—as key drivers sustaining the India-U.S. partnership. While differences may arise, he emphasized that both nations have consistently found ways to address them constructively.
Jaishankar’s visit comes as India prepares to host the upcoming Quad Leaders’ Summit. His engagements in the U.S. aim to strengthen India’s strategic partnerships and further the collective vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. (ANI)
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