Japan defence talks to be raised to ministerial level

NEW DELHI: India and Japan are poised to conclude a far-reaching agreement during PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Tokyo beginning August 30 to upgrade the defence dialogue mechanism involving both Foreign and Defence Ministers from the current level of Foreign and Defence Secretaries with the aim of providing stability in the region amid growing ambitions of China.

The agreement could be formally signed at the Annual Summit meeting between Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe next week with the two sides keen on expanding defence partnership following the Japanese PM’s decision to move away from the country’s pacifist constitution amid regional tensions, government sources told ET. The dialogue, when upgraded, would be the fifth of its kind for Japan under the “two-plus-two” dialogue mechanism. Tokyo has similar arrangements with the USA, Russia, Australia and France.

The Indo-Japan two-plus-two (Foreign and Defence Secretaries) dialogue mechanism held its first meeting in New Delhi in July 2010, and the second in Tokyo in October 2012, under the UPA government.

The scope of bilateral defence cooperation is likely to be expanded in safeguarding the safety of sea lanes through exchanges between coast guards, as well as increasing joint drills between Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Indian Navy, sources informed.

The trilateral (India-Japan-US) joint naval exercise -- Malabar -- off the coast of Japan last month was successful and helped to enhance interoperability between the three forces, sources said.