India and Japan on Thursday reviewed the entire spectrum of their bilateral defence ties and agreed to hold the first joint fighter jets exercise as well as enhance defence co-operation. This was the main take away from the 90-minute talks in Tokyo between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Japanese counterpart Yasukazu Hamada. The bilateral meeting took place ahead of the second two plus two dialogue between the Defence and External Affairs Ministers of the two countries there.
The two Defence Ministers in their meeting also emphasised that the bilateral special strategic and global partnership plays a crucial role in ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific, amidst China's aggressive behaviour in the region.
Noting that India and Japan pursue a Special Strategic and Global Partnership, Rajnath said India's defence partnership with Japan will play a crucial role in ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.
Rajnath stressed on the need to expand the scope of partnership between India and Japan in defence equipment and technological cooperation and invited Japanese industries to invest in India's defence corridors.
He invited Japanese industries to invest in India's defence corridors where a conducive environment for the growth of the defence industry has been created by the government of India, the defence ministry statement issued in New Delhi said.
During the delegation-level talks, Rajnath highlighted that the growing complexities in the India-Japan bilateral defence exercises is a testimony to the deepening of defence cooperation between the two countries. The two ministers expressed their commitment in continuing bilateral and multilateral exercises including 'Dharma Guardian', 'JIMEX' and 'Malabar.'
They welcomed the operationalisation of the reciprocal provision of supply and services agreement during exercise 'MILAN' in March this year, it said. "The two ministers agreed that the early conduct of the inaugural fighter exercise will pave the way for much greater cooperation and interoperability between the Air Forces of the two countries,” it added.
Rajnath said after the two plus two dialogue the two countries noted the progress in the military to military cooperation and exchanges between the two sides.
He said the two sides have established staff talks and High-level dialogue between all the three Services and the Coast Guard. “I am glad that we have now agreed on Staff Talks between the Joint Staff of the Japanese Self Defense Forces and the Integrated Defence Staff of India,” the defence minister said.
The Japanese defence ministry said the two leaders affirmed that they would continue to vigorously promote defence cooperation and exchanges, for further enhancing Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership, to uphold and reinforce the free and open Indo-Pacific while maintaining close communication between respective defence authorities.
The joint statement released after the two plus two dialogue said the two sides acknowledged the vast potential for the two countries to expand bilateral cooperation in the areas of defense equipment and technology cooperation.
The Ministers expressed satisfaction with the ongoing cooperation in the areas of Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV)/Robotics and the Sixth India-Japan Joint Working Group on Defence Equipment and Technology Cooperation and concurred to further identify concrete areas for future cooperation in defence equipment and technology.