New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a phone call on March 9 with his Japanese counterpart SUGA Yoshihide.

The two leaders expressed satisfaction at the positive momentum in India-Japan Special Strategic & Global Partnership in the last few years, guided by mutual trust and shared values.

They appreciated that bilateral exchanges were maintained over the last year despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The two leaders also welcomed the recent signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation on Specified Skilled Workers (SSW) and looked forward to its early implementation.

Prime Minister Modi noted the Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) project as a shining example of India-Japan bilateral strategic partnership and expressed his commitment to its successful implementation.

The two leaders further exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest and concurred that the partnership between the two countries could play a pivotal role in addressing common challenges.

In this regard, they emphasised that their engagement with like-minded countries such as Australia and the US in the form of Quad consultation holds value and agreed that these useful discussions must continue.

The two leaders noted that the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries would fall in 2022 and agreed that this event be celebrated in a befitting manner.

Prime Minister Modi invited Prime Minister Suga to visit India at the earliest for the Annual Bilateral Summit.