India and Japan urge respect for territorial integrity and peaceful settlement of disputes

New Delhi, Aug 20: Sending a strong indirect message to China, India and Japan on Tuesday emphasised the need for all countries to refrain from any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo, urging respect for national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful settlement of disputes without resorting to the threat or use of force.

"As two democratic countries that share common values, the Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining and strengthening rules-based international order founded on the principles of the UN Charter," said the Joint Statement issued after the conclusion of the third India-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministers' meeting held at the Hyderabad House on Tuesday evening.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko and Japan's Defence Minister Minoru Kihara highlighted the common strategic vision of both countries towards a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is inclusive, peaceful, prosperous and resilient, as part of the rules-based international order.

"The Ministers reiterated their strong support for ASEAN's unity and centrality and their full support for the 'ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP)' which upholds the principles such as openness, transparency, inclusivity, a rules-based framework and respect for international law," mentioned the statement.

It stated that the four ministers had a "frank and wide-ranging discussion" on regional and global issues focusing on the shared Indo-Pacific region, welcoming the possibilities to further enhance the bilateral security and defence cooperation following the National Security Strategy of Japan issued in December 2022 and recognised such cooperation as an important pillar of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.