India and Japan on Monday held talks on regional security, economic resilience and the evolving situation in Asia and West Asia, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu underlining the need for a “free and open Indo-Pacific” ahead of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday.Welcoming Motegi to the national capital, Jaishankar said India and Japan’s “Special Strategic and Global Partnership” carried “larger implications and larger impact” amid growing geopolitical uncertainty and shifting global power equations.“One example of that will be tomorrow when we meet in the Quad format to discuss how to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Jaishankar said during the opening remarks before bilateral talks.The minister said discussions would focus on bilateral cooperation, regional developments and the current security situation in Asia and the Middle East, noting that both India and Japan were major energy-importing nations with strong maritime interests.Jaishankar also stressed the importance of “economic security”, calling it a critical issue for major economies facing supply chain disruptions and rising strategic competition.Motegi, in his remarks, said the world was undergoing its “biggest structural transformation since the Second World War”, driven by changes in the global balance of power and ongoing conflicts.“The security environment is becoming increasingly severe,” he said, adding that India and Japan shared not only opportunities but also a “responsibility to shape the international order”.The Japanese minister said both countries must help strengthen regional resilience in the economic, social and security spheres while deepening cooperation to ensure collective prosperity across the Indo-Pacific.Motegi also highlighted recent Japanese policy initiatives focused on advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific and said Tokyo and New Delhi should act as “driving forces” in shaping the region’s future.The meeting comes a day before the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting involving India, Japan, the United States and Australia, where discussions are expected to focus on maritime security, supply chains, emerging technologies and regional stability.