Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked visiting Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s for inviting him for the G7 Summit in Japan later this year during their bilateral meeting held here on Monday.

PM Modi held bilateral delegation-level talks with his Japanese counterpart at Hyderabad House here. “Today Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida invited me to the G7 Leaders’ Summit which will be held in Hiroshima in May. I thank him for this,” PM Modi said at the joint press statement after the meeting.

“I welcome Japanese PM Fumio Kishida to India. In the last one year, PM Fumio Kishida and I have met several times and every time I’ve felt his positivity and commitment to the India-Japan bilateral relationship. His today’s visit will be beneficial to maintain this momentum,” PM Modi said.

Prime Minister Modi said he is happy to be able to welcome his Japanese counterpart again in September this year for the G20 Summit.

Since India is the G20 chair this year and simultaneously Japan holds the current G7 presidency, PM Modi said “Today’s meeting is is a great opportunity to work together keeping the self-goals of both nations in mind.”

In his statement after the talks, PM Modi said this meeting aims to give a voice to the global South and strengthen the India-Japan relationship.

PM Modi said he spoke to his Japanese counterpart regarding India’s G20 goals and priorities. “I have spoken to him regarding India’s G20 priorities in detail. Our main priority is to give voice to the needs of the global south,” PM Modi said.

He said that the culture that believes in “Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam” believes in taking everyone along.

PM Modi further said that India-Japan’s special strategic and global partnership is based on common democratic principles and the rule of law on the international platform.

“Strengthening this partnership is not only beneficial to India and Japan, but Indo-Pacific will also have peace, progress and the stability would be boosted,” Prime Minister Modi added.

PM Modi said that the two leaders also analysed the progress made in bilateral relations and said it is a great opportunity to work together with common interests and priorities.

Prime Minister said that under the India-Japan Competitiveness Partnership established in 2019, both countries have focused on logistics, food processing issues, and MSMEs. He expressed hope that the series of discussions and consultations between the two countries will continue and India-Japan ties will reach new heights.

“Today, we expressed satisfaction on the activities of this partnership. We are moving forward on Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project,” PM Modi said.

The theme for Tourism Exchange Year 2023 between India and Japan is ‘Connecting the Himalayas with Mount Fuji’.

PM Modi said the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership is based on shared democratic values and respect for the rule of law in the international arena. Stating that strengthening India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership is important for both India and Japan as partners PM Modi pointed out that the partnership promotes peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

During the meeting, both sides discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest, including the role of the India-Japan partnership in fostering peace, prosperity, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. There was a wide-ranging agenda on the table with a focus on cooperation in economy and commerce, climate and energy, defence and security, and skill development.

Kishida who arrived in the national capital early this morning on a two-day official visit visited Rajghat here and paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi.

The Japanese PM was recieved by Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar at the Palam airport.

This is Kishida’s second visit to the country as Prime Minister of Japan.