REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, NEW DELHI -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has invited Indian Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi to attend the prime ministers' annual meetings to work closely towards further development of the Indo-Japan Strategic and Global Partnership, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

Abe told Modi in a telephone conversation on Tuesday that Japan-India ties were blessed with "the largest potential for development of any bilateral relationship anywhere in the world".

"I wish to work closely with you towards further development of the Japan-India Strategic and Global Partnership and for this purpose would like to invite you to Japan to continue the annual meetings of the prime ministers of Japan and India," he said.

Modi said Japan had made a significant contribution to the development of India and expressed his deep gratitude to the Japanese people and their government.