India and Japan on Monday explored the possibilities in joint development and production of weapon systems, besides stepping up professional exchanges of test pilots of air force of the two countries. On a four-day tour to Japan, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, along with two other leaders, held ministerial-level meetings with his Japanese counterpart General Nakatani and also called on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The meeting covered the entire spectrum of bilateral Defence and strategic ties between the two countries, officials said here. The two Ministers briefed each other on the security environment surrounding each country and their respective defence policies. They reviewed strategic developments relating to international security situation with emphasis on the inter-connected Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.
The two countries were of the view that in the inter-connected Indo-Pacific region, India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership has a key role in maintaining peace and stability in the region. The two Ministers welcomed the progress made in bilateral defence exchanges following the signing of Memorandum of Cooperation and Exchanges in the Field of Defence during the visit of PM Narendra Modi to Japan in September 2014 and emphasized the need to further strengthen and elevate bilateral defence relations.
As regards co-operation in manufacturing weapon systems, officials said the two Ministers reviewed the progress made in discussion in the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence Equipment and Technology Cooperation (JWG-DETC). India and Japan have the potential in the area of defence equipment and technology cooperation, which can emerge as a key pillar of bilateral defence relations, the two Ministers opined.
On further enhancing strategic ties, the two Ministers agreed to hold a dialogue every year. Nakatani is also planning to visit India in 2016. The two countries will also hold the fourth Vice-Minister/Defence Secretary level Defence Policy Dialogue and the third Vice-Minister/Secretary level “2 plus 2” dialogue in Delhi at the beginning of April, 2015.
