Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will call for a unified approach to Ukraine when he meets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Saturday, with the goal of bolstering Indo-Pacific security ties. “Because this trip coincides with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, I’d like to emphasize the importance of international unity and to confirm that Japan and India will cooperate on a variety of issues,” Mr. Kishida said ahead of his visit.
India and Japan are members of the Quad
India and Japan are members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), a security framework in which the US and Australia also participate.
Since the Ukraine invasion began on February 24, the Tokyo has imposed sanctions on dozens of Russian individuals and organizations and has taken in Ukrainian refugees. India, on the other hand, is the only member of the Quad who has not condemned the invasion.
Mr. Kishida will also seek to strengthen security and economic ties with India, the world’s second-largest country by population and Asia’s third-largest economy.
He is expected to announce a five-year investment of 5 trillion yen ($42 billion) in India during this visit, according to Japan’s Nikkei newspaper. During a 2014 visit to India, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced 3.5 trillion yen in investment and financing over five years.
Tokyo has been assisting India in developing its urban infrastructure and constructing a high-speed railway using its bullet train technology. Both countries in 2020 have signed an acquisition and cross-service agreement that enables defense forces to maintain reciprocal stocks of food, fuel, and other supplies.