India, Japan agree to play greater roles in the Indo-Pacific region

India and Japan have agreed that both sides can play an important role in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

At an event on ‘Indo-Pacific Region: Converging India-Japan Interests’, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that the two sides carry the responsibility to maintain peace and stability in the region as they do not believe in militarisation.

Expressing New Delhi’s trust in Tokyo, Rijiju said India wants to leverage Japanese expertise for development, as anything made in Japan is synonymous with quality.

Japanese ambassador to India Kenji Hiramatsu also present at the occasion, said that his country opposes any coercion and upholds freedom of navigation in the Asia-Pacific region. He said Tokyo is ready to play a greater role in the Indian Ocean, adding that both sides share much in common including a shared vision for Asia-Pacific. Hiramatsu said there is greater convergence between India, Japan and the US in the Asia-Pacific, adding that they can work together to maintain peace and stability of the region.