Describing India and Japan as "major powers" and "two major pillars of new Asia," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said the two strategic partners are ready to play a "commensurate global role" in world affairs.

"On the strength of our strong bilateral partnership, we stand today as two major powers ready to play a commensurate global role," Singh said a day after inking a landmark security cooperation agreement with his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso here.

"India believes that a strong and dynamic Japan is a powerful factor of peace and stability in Asia and the world at large," Singh said at a welcome lunch reception held in his honour by the Japan-India Association and Japan-India Parliamentary Friendship League.

"We look to the wise counsel and leadership of Japan" to meet the challenges facing the globe, he said, adding that New Delhi wished to draw upon Tokyo's vast developmental experience and her traditional emphasis on "consensus, harmony and balance in solving formidable problems that now threaten global peace and prosperity".

Significantly, the function was also attended by former Japanese Premier Yoshiro Mori, who was instrumental in transforming the bilateral ties with a landmark visit in 2000, besides ex-premier Yasuo Fukuda.

Describing himself as a "frequent visitor" to Japan, Singh said: "it has been my earnest desire for past several decades, to see this relationship prosper and grow. I am very happy to witness today the transformation of India-Japan relations. It is truly developing into a global and strategic partnership as envisaged when Prime Minister Mori visited India in 2000".

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