Japan-India Defense Ministers' Meeting: Expand and deepen joint military training, propose the establishment of a consultation body.
Japanese Minister of Defense Gen Nakatani held talks for about 90 minutes with Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Monday, reaching consensus on further deepening defense cooperation.
The two defense ministers confirmed the importance of Japan-India cooperation contributing to the overall interests of the Indo-Pacific region. Gen Nakatani suggested positioning relevant measures as "Japan-India Defense Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific" (JIDIP/IJDIP), and achieving concrete cooperation and collaboration under this framework. Rajnath Singh welcomed this proposal, and the next step will be to discuss specific contents of the proposal in detail. The two defense ministers confirmed that they would significantly expand cooperation and collaboration between the services, proposing the establishment of a consultation body to coordinate and manage the Japan-India cooperation and collaboration process from an integrated and comprehensive perspective, and strive towards this goal.
The two defense ministers also confirmed their intention to expand and deepen joint training between the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the Indian Army, including the "Dharma Guardian" bilateral exercise. Both defense ministers confirmed that Japan and India will continue to cooperate in protecting maritime traffic to ensure the security of sea lanes, which is crucial not only for the two countries but also for the region and the international community. Additionally, both sides will deepen cooperation in Southeast Asia, agreeing to discuss these matters in detail in the future.
The two defense ministers agreed to continue close cooperation to ensure peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. At the beginning of the meeting, Gen Nakatani expressed condolences for the victims of the fatal attack that occurred last month in the India-controlled Kashmir region. He pointed out that terrorism cannot be justified under any pretext, and Japan is determined to resolutely combat terrorism alongside India and the international community. Gen Nakatani then mentioned that he hoped relevant countries would take responsible actions to maintain peace and stability in South Asia.
Source: rfi
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