Modi, Abe & Trump discuss security, connectivity, infra

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held extensive discussions with US President Donald Trump and Japanese premier Shinzo Abe on an open, stable and rule-based order in the Indo-Pacific region during the Japan-America-India trilateral in Osaka on Friday.

Foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said the leaders discussed how the three countries can work together in improving connectivity, developing infrastructure and ensuring peace and security in the region. During the meeting, which was the second such since last November, Modi highlighted "the importance India attaches to" the grouping. Over the past year, the three countries have explored possibilities of infrastructure projects, hoping to coordinate on projects in the Indo-Pacific region that would help to rebalance China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).India and Japan are already collaborating on a number of projects across South Asia, Southeast Asia and Africa. On Thursday, Indian ambassador to Japan Sanjay Kumar and mayor of Japanese city of Kobe Kizo Hisamoto signed an MoU of ‘sister-city partnership’ between Kobe and Ahmedabad.

"Committed to a better future. Meeting of JAI (Japan-America-India) Trilateral takes place in Osaka. PM @AbeShinzo welcomes the leaders. @POTUS congratulates Prime Ministers Modi and Abe for their electoral victories. PM Modi highlights the importance India attaches to JAI," the Prime Minister's Office tweeted.


Modi later called the trilateral a “productive” meeting. “We had extensive discussions on the Indo-Pacific region, improving connectivity and infrastructure development. Grateful to PM @AbeShinzo and President @realDonald-Trump for sharing their views as well," he said in the tweet.