Quad important for ‘practical cooperation,’ says India ahead of Modi’s Japan trip

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) - India Tuesday dubbed the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, commonly known as Quad, as an “important platform for practical cooperation.”

The statement by New Delhi came ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Aug. 29-30 visit to Japan, for a summit with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

Both nations are members of the Quad, led by the US, which also includes Australia.

“QUAD is indeed an important platform for working on and promoting peace, stability, prosperity, and development in the Indo-Pacific region. In more recent years, its agenda has expanded to take on issues of practical cooperation and this covers health security, critical and emerging technologies,” Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters.

Misri said there's an initiative among the Quad nations with regard to critical minerals that has been discussed recently and “how to make supply chains more resilient,” as well as infrastructure development.

“All issues that are a priority both for India and for Japan,” he said.

“Both our countries attach high value to this forum and to this partnership. We look forward to working with all Quad partners to take our cooperation forward,” he said.

India and Japan have upgraded ties to a "special strategic and global partnership" in 2014 as their bilateral trade volume climbed to $21 billion last year.

The two have also increased their activities in the region, including holding joint maritime drills with the Philippines, a military ally of the US, in the disputed South China Sea.

New Delhi also launched two new warships on Tuesday.

Ahead of his trip to Tokyo, Modi on Tuesday inaugurated and flagged off the “e Vitara,” Japan’s motor corporation Suzuki’s first made-in-India electric vehicle.

Modi’s trip to Japan comes as the two Asian allies of the US face tariffs by the Trump administration.

While Japan has sealed a trade deal with the US at 15% tariffs, India faces staggering 50% tariffs with no bilateral trade yet with Washington, which has punished New Delhi over purchases of Russian oil amid the war in Ukraine.

The 25% of 50% tariffs on Indian imports to the US take effect on Wednesday, according to a US notice to New Delhi.

Following his Japan trip, Modi will fly to China for the leaders’ summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Aug. 31-Sept. 1.

It marks Modi’s first trip to his country’s northern neighbor in seven years. He will also hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, their second since last October when they met in the southern Russian city of Kazan.