TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio is considering visiting India for three days from March 19 to hold talks with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, Japanese government sources said Friday.

With Japan serving as this year’s chair of the Group of Seven major countries and India holding this year’s presidency of the Group of 20 advanced and emerging economies, Kishida hopes to confirm that Japan and India will work together in responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the sources.

The Japanese prime minister apparently sees the need to meet with Modi ahead of the G-7 summit in the western Japan city of Hiroshima in May, where responses to Russia’s aggression will feature high on the agenda, as India traditionally has close ties with Russia and is a representative of emerging and developing countries in the so-called global south.

Kishida and Modi are also expected to discuss ways to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific region, with China’s growing military pressure against Taiwan in mind.

In India, a two-day meeting of G-20 foreign ministers was held through Thursday. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi skipped the meeting due to his obligation to attend parliamentary meetings in Japan.

JIJI Press