India and Japan have agreed to step up their defence and security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, with a focus on enhancing maritime security and conducting joint military exercises.
The decision was taken during a meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Japanese counterpart Nobuo Kishi in Okinawa, Japan, on Saturday.
The two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and agreed to work together to ensure the safety and security of sea lanes in the region.
They also discussed ways to strengthen their defence relationship, including through joint exercises and exchanges of military personnel.
The meeting comes at a time of growing tensions between China and its neighbours in the Indo-Pacific region. China has been accused of militarising the South China Sea and asserting its territorial claims in the East China Sea, which has raised concerns among other countries in the region.
India and Japan have both expressed concern about China’s growing military presence in the Indo-Pacific region. In 2019, the two countries signed a defence agreement that allows them to conduct joint military exercises and share information on maritime security.
The meeting between Singh and Kishi is a further sign of the growing defence cooperation between India and Japan. The two countries are expected to conduct their first joint military exercise in the near future.
The exercise will likely focus on maritime security and will be held in the Indo-Pacific region. The exercise will send a strong message to China that India and Japan are committed to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
In addition to their defence cooperation, India and Japan are also working together on a number of other issues, including trade, investment, and infrastructure development. The two countries are also members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), which is a loose alliance of the United States, India, Japan, and Australia.
The Quad is seen as a way to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. The Quad countries have conducted a number of joint exercises in recent years, and they are expected to continue to do so in the future.
The growing defence cooperation between India and Japan is a sign of the changing security landscape in the Indo-Pacific region. China’s growing military presence in the region has raised concerns among other countries, and India and Japan are taking steps to ensure that the Indo-Pacific region remains free and open.
The Quad is also playing a role in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The Quad countries are committed to working together to ensure the safety and security of the region, and they are likely to continue to conduct joint exercises and other activities in the future..
