Talks with Abe dominated by Indo-Pacific, African matters

New Delhi: The developments in the Indo-Pacific region and also trilateral cooperation with African countries were discussed during the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok in Russia on Thursday. Observers are seeing the discussions as significant, in the context of China’s military assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region and its huge investments in Africa.

Foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said Mr Abe would visit India sometime in December this year for the Annual Summit between the two countries. He said there is a “strong relationship” be-tween the two countries and that the “two prime ministers are personal friends”.

Mr Gokhale also indicated  that the first “2+2” (foreign and defence) ministerial meeting between the two countries would be held “preferably before the Annual Summit”.

It was also decided by the two PMs to continue the “tradition” of holding trilateral Japan-America-India (JAI) meetings at va-rious fora when leaders of the three nations are
present. “(Japanese) PM Abe spoke about a ‘free Indo-Pacific’,” Mr Gokhale said, adding that both countries share the same views on the Indo-Pacific region.

Mr Gokhale said India is already partnering with Japan on trilateral cooperation in Africa.