Takaichi, Modi Agree to Deepen Japan-India Strategic Cooperation

New Delhi, July 2 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, on Thursday affirmed their intentions to deepen the two countries' strategic cooperation with the aim of achieving common goals, including realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

After their meeting in New Delhi, the two leaders released a joint statement voicing grave concern over economic coercion, likely with China in mind.

Takaichi, on a three-day visit to India from Wednesday, said in a joint press conference after the bilateral summit that she aims to elevate Japan-India relations to a higher level, while Modi called for achieving the two countries' shared ambition of global progress.

They also announced documents on about 120 projects on cooperation between Japanese and Indian companies, including around 2 trillion yen of investments.

Takaichi and Modi agreed to promote collaboration regarding defense equipment as part of the efforts to deepen strategic cooperation, and to hold a two-plus-two meeting of the two nations' foreign and defense ministers by the end of the year.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]