New Delhi, December 7 — External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar took part in the opening session of the India-Japan Forum in New Delhi, saying on X that he was pleased to attend and that the discussions focused on an evolving world order and the need for deeper India-Japan cooperation. The forum, convened by the Ananta Centre and the Ministry of External Affairs, brings together Indian and Japanese leaders to shape bilateral and strategic partnerships through deliberation and collaboration. It is an invitation-only, closed-door gathering of about 70 to 80 high-level participants, and discussions are being held under Chatham House rules. The forum aims to strengthen cooperation, identify opportunities, exchange ideas, build mutual trust, and develop a joint agenda for future work across political, economic, technological, and strategic areas. At the India-Japan Forum inaugural conversation on December 6, 2024, Jaishankar emphasized the need for deeper ties in areas such as semiconductors, defence, and economic and technological cooperation, with a focus on building resilient supply chains and expanding people-to-people links. He highlighted digital governance and the Quad as important topics under discussion. He also noted a sharp rise in Indian outbound travel and passport issuance, estimating passport issuance growing at roughly 10 to 15 percent annually and amounting to some 13 to 15 million passports a year with 10-year validity, but observed that much of this travel has been directed toward Southeast Asia, the Gulf, and Europe rather than Japan. A major theme was semiconductor collaboration: Jaishankar underlined the burgeoning potential between India and Japan as both countries revive their semiconductor sectors. He pointed out that India has launched a semiconductor mission after a long period of neglect while Japan is revitalizing its industry, and that both countries are engaging with Taiwan, creating the beginnings of a partnership that could be strategically significant for both nations.
