Japan looking at possibility of economic ties with Bangladesh: Kishida
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who is in India on a two-day official visit, today said Japan is studying the possibility of an economic partnership with Bangladesh.
"India's next-door neighbour Bangladesh will soon graduate from a least developed country," Kishida said.
"We have already launched a joint study group [with India] on the possibility of an economic partnership with Bangladesh," Kishida said while unveiling a 75-billion-dollar plan for the development of the Indo-Pacific, reports our New Delhi correspondent.
Japan will collaborate closely with New Delhi and Dhaka in order to promote the "Bay of Bengal-North East India value concept," he added.
"We will promote the Bay of Bengal and the North East India value concept in cooperation with India and Bangladesh," Kishida said while delivering the 41st Sapru House lecture at the Indian Council for World Affairs, the Indian government's think-tank in New Delhi.
"North East India is surrounded by land and has unexploited economic potential."
Kishida said Japan will work closely with India in contributing peace and stability in South Asian region.
The Japanese PM also said no country should use force or coercion in trying to drive their territorial claims and condemned Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Global principles of respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity must be adhered to in every corner of the world, he added.
Kishida also noted Narendra Modi's message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that "today's era is not of war".
The Japanese prime minister's remarks came shortly after holding wide-range talks with Modi on further strengthening the India-Japan "Special Strategic and Global Partnership".
"India is indispensable," Kishida said while elaborating on his vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
"Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) is a vision gaining traction. The FOIP is a visionary concept. It is to defend rule of law and freedom," he said, with an eye on China which has territorial disputes with several countries in the region, including India and Japan.
Kishida arrived in New Delhi earlier in the day for a two-day official visit.
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