Delhi: Japan Foreign Minister Motegi pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi who was on a threeday visit to India on Saturday visited Raj Ghat and offered tributes to the Father of the Nation Mahatma GandhiHe also wrote in the visitors guest book and was felicitated with books on Mahatma Gandhi and a model of a CharkhaMotegi accompanied by Japanese Ambassador to India Ono Keiichi also took a ride on the Delhi Metro from the Central Secretariat metro station to Patel Chowk and backDelhi Metro Rail Corporation DMRC in a social media post said that during his visit the Japanese Foreign Minister showed keen interest about various aspects of the construction and operation of the Delhi Metro which is a proud symbol of IndoJapanese friendship and collaborationDuring his visit to India Motegi also paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held discussions on various areas such as economic security economy investment and innovation including AI and peopletopeople exchangesIn a post on X Japans Ministry of Foreign Affairs said FM MOTEGI made a courtesy call on HE Mr Narendra Modi Prime Minister of India during his visit to Delhi India Bearing in mind the JapanIndia Joint Vision for the Next Decade launched during PM Modis visit to Japan last August they had a candid exchange of views over a wide range of areas such as security including economic security economy investment and innovation including AI and peopletopeople exchanges and concurred to elevate JapanIndia relations to new heightsFM MOTEGI made a courtesy call on HE Mr Narendra MODI Prime Minister of India during his visit to Delhi India Bearing in mind the ldquoJapanIndia Joint Vision for the Next Decaderdquo launched during PM Modis visit to Japan last August they had a candid exchange of views overhellip pictwittercomq26BMqboFOmdash MOFA of Japan MofaJapan_en January 16 2026Speaking during his opening remarks at the 18th IndiaJapan Strategic Dialogue with Toshimitsu Jaishankar said India places a very high priority on its partnership with Japan which has evolved over the past two decades into a broad comprehensive and strategic relationshipIndia attaches very great priority to its friendship with Japan And over the last two decades we have been successful in transforming the relationship from what was primarily an economic relationship into one that is broad comprehensive and strategic in its focus Jaishankar said referring to cooperation in platforms such as the Quad the United Nations the G4 grouping and the G20Jaishankar also noted that India and Japan will mark 75 years of diplomatic relations next year and expressed confidence that the special strategic and global partnership will continue to strengthenJapan on Friday said it sees India as a natural partner and attaches strong importance to ties with likeminded countries like India during Foreign Affairs Minister Toshimitsu Motegis visit to the countryHighlighting the significance of the India visit Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Toshihiro Kitamura said Motegis trip marks his first foreign visit this year and reflects Japans priority on strengthening partnerships with countries like IndiaThis is the first foreign trip this year We strongly believe that a relationship with likeminded countries like India is important We believe in a strong partnership with the global south He has chosen India as a natural partner Kitamura saidExplaining what Tokyo aims to achieve through the visit Kitamura said Japan and India share common and strategic interests and that the trip is focused on ensuring progress on the concrete agreements taken forward after PM Modis visit to Japan last yearIndia and Japan reaffirmed their Special Strategic and Global Partnership during the visit of Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi from January 1517 with both sides agreeing to deepen cooperation in AI critical minerals defence and regional securityMotegi called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also held the 18th IndiaJapan Strategic Dialogue with External Affairs Minister S JaishankarIn an official statement the Ministry of External Affairs said that during the Strategic Dialogue the Ministers reviewed the entire gamut of the multifaceted relations including supply chain resilience in critical sectors investment trade technology and innovation defence peopletopeople exchanges and cultural tiesThey underlined the importance of further strengthening the IndiaJapan Special Strategic and Global Partnership in keeping with the outcomes of the 15th Annual Summit of August 2025 and the recent discussions between the Prime Ministers in Johannesburg the MEA saidTaking forward the JapanIndia AI Initiative JAI announced by the two Prime Ministers the Ministers launched the AI Dialogue giving a coherent push to bilateral cooperation in this sector Both sides also decided to convene the Joint Working Group on Critical Minerals under the Economic Security Initiative to advance collaboration in rare earth elements and critical minerals it addedIt further mentioned that the Ministers also exchanged views on various regional and global issues of interest They stressed the crucial role played by the strong and enduring partnership between India and Japan in ensuring a free open peaceful prosperous and rulesbased IndoPacific region the MEA statement statedThe two Ministers looked forward to celebrating the year 2027 as the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan the statement said it addedThe meeting follows PM Modi and Japanese PM Sanae Takaichis meeting in Johannesburg earlier this year on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders Summit in South AfricaThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever