Japanese PM Kishida to visit India next week, to hold talks with PM Modi

He is expected to invite PM Modi to the G7 Summit being held in May in Japan's western city of Hiroshima.

“Both sides will discuss bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest.

“They will also discuss their priorities for their respective Presidencies of the G7 and G20,” an official statement said.

Speaking to reporters in Japan on Friday, Prime Minister Kishida said he will visit India on March 19 to meet with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi.

Kishida last visited India in March last year.

While India holds the presidency of the Group of 20, Japan holds this year's presidency of the Group of Seven major countries.

"We, as this year's chairs (of the two groups), will exchange views to strengthen cooperation," Kishida was quoted as saying.

The Japanese and Indian leaders will "discuss a range of issues," including realising a free and open Indo-Pacific, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a press conference.

Kishida has been eager to confirm with Modi that Tokyo and New Delhi, as this year's G-7 and G-20 presidents, will work together more closely to grapple with issues stemming from Russia's war in Ukraine, Japanese government sources were quoted as saying.

During the talks, Kishida is expected to invite Modi to participate in the G-7 summit.

Apart from the G-7—Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the US and the European Union, the G-20 also includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea and Turkey.

(With UNI inputs)