India & Japan To Hold Key 2+2 Foreign & Defence Ministers’ Meeting On 20 August

India and Japan are gearing up for the third edition of their 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministers’ Meeting, scheduled for 20 August in New Delhi.

This strategic dialogue aims to bolster the growing partnership between the two nations, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Representing India at the meeting will be Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

On the Japanese side, Defence Minister Minoru Kihara and Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa are likely to participate.

This upcoming dialogue marks the third round of such discussions, with the previous meetings taking place in New Delhi in 2019 and Tokyo in 2022.

MEA Spokesperson Highlights Importance Of India-Japan 2+2 Dialogue

Highlighting the significance of this dialogue, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “The 2+2 dialogue with Japan plays a crucial role in enhancing our bilateral ties. The involvement of both Foreign and Defence Ministers underscores the importance of this partnership, which is at an all-time high.”

The 2+2 format, designed to deepen security and defence cooperation, has been instrumental in strengthening the special strategic and global partnership between India and Japan.

India maintains this dialogue format with only a select few countries, including the US, Australia, and Russia.

Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar spoke about the strong strategic alignment between India and Japan, emphasizing the potential for increased business collaboration and the need for close cooperation with Tokyo.

In a related development, the MEA Spokesperson also mentioned the upcoming Voice of Global South Summit, which India will host virtually on 17 August.

This summit however is part of India’s broader initiative to engage with countries from the Global South, reflecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of inclusive development and the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, or The World is One Family.

“All Global South countries have been invited, and we anticipate significant participation. Further details on the number of countries involved will be provided soon,” Jaiswal further added.

This dialogue and the summit collectively underscore India’s commitment to strengthening its global partnerships and fostering unity among nations.

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