Japanese PM Shinzo Abe to visit India on Sep. 13-14 at PM Modi's invitation

New Delhi [India], September 11 (ANI): At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will be on a two-day India visit - on September 13 -14.

During the visit, both leaders will address the 12th India-Japan Annual Summit in Gujarat's Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.

This will be the fourth annual summit that Prime Minister Modi and Shinzo Abe would address together.

The two leaders will review the recent progress in the multi-faceted cooperation between India and Japan under the framework of their 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership' and will set its future direction.

Earlier on Friday, Japan's Ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu, had said that the relationship between India and Japan is at its best ever, and that New Delhi is a key partner to carry out Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's free and open Indo-Pacific strategy.

"The India-Japan relationship is at its best ever. India is a key partner to carry out Prime Minister Abe's free and open Indo-Pacific strategy. In this age of vulnerability, we cherish the relationship between the two countries. It's a partnership between the oldest and the largest democracies," Hiramatsu said, while addressing the India-Japan Colloquium session in New Delhi.

"Prime Minister Abe's free and open Indo-Pacific strategy is also intent of Japan to play a larger role in the Indian Ocean under the banner of pro-active contribution to peace," he added.

Hiramatsu further said, "We are living in a world that is becoming increasingly vulnerable and unpredictable, with outstanding issues like North Korea. But India and Japan and their partnership provide a certainty in the region and beyond."

Meanwhile, Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar asserted that Japan can make a substantial difference to India's nuclear industry.

Speaking at the India-Japan Colloquium session, Jaishankar stressed as to how cooperation and civil nuclear defence will be two key components of the future for both India and Japan.

"The difference that Japan can make to our nuclear industry can be quite substantial. Japan's openness to supply India with military technology also reflects the high level of confidence between the two countries," he said.

The Foreign Secretary also spoke about a number of infrastructural and economic projects which both the countries are planning to undertake. (ANI)