Jaishankar Reaffirms Strategic Ties with Japan, US During Quad Meet in Washington

EAM discusses Indo-Pacific, terrorism, and trade on key US visit ahead of Quad Leaders Summit

Washington, DC: In a significant diplomatic outreach, India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on the sidelines of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (QFMM) in Washington, DC. The meeting underscored the deepening India-Japan strategic partnership and emphasized closer coordination in the Indo-Pacific region.

“Glad to meet Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya in New York this morning. Had wide-ranging discussions on infrastructure, investment, and mobility. Exchanged views on deepening our Quad engagement for a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Jaishankar posted on social media platform X, highlighting the importance of the engagement.

He reaffirmed that the “special, strategic and global partnership continues to deepen and diversify,” reflecting the ongoing momentum in India-Japan ties across economic, security, and technological spheres. The meeting took place during Jaishankar’s official visit to the United States at the invitation of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to participate in the QFMM.

According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the QFMM aims to build upon discussions from the previous session held in January and focuses on major regional and global developments. Particular emphasis is being placed on maintaining a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific—a key priority for all four Quad nations: India, Japan, the United States, and Australia.

The Ministers are also reviewing progress under the Quad’s various initiatives and are considering new proposals to further strengthen cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, climate resilience, critical technologies, and maritime security.

Before arriving in Washington, Dr. Jaishankar visited New York, where he inaugurated a poignant exhibition titled “The Human Cost of Terrorism” at the United Nations. At the event, he reiterated India’s firm stance against terrorism and called for a unified global response. “Terrorism, wherever it occurs, is a threat to peace everywhere,” he said, advocating for zero tolerance and enhanced international cooperation.

During his U.S. visit, Jaishankar also gave an interview to Newsweek, where he reflected on the evolution of India-U.S. relations over the last 25 years. He praised the continuity of strong bilateral ties across the administrations of Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden. “We are in the middle of a very complex trade negotiation, hopefully more than halfway through,” he said, expressing optimism while also noting that the final outcome depends on mutual consensus.

He highlighted that key structural factors—such as economy, education, energy, technology, and security—will continue to drive the relationship forward. While acknowledging that disagreements may occur, he emphasized that the ability of both sides to address these constructively has preserved the positive trajectory.

Jaishankar’s visit comes at a pivotal time as India prepares to host the next Quad Leaders Summit. His meetings with key partners in Washington aim to reinforce India’s strategic partnerships and ensure collective progress on shared Indo-Pacific objectives.