Naval drill is on amid Left posturing
Notwithstanding the Left tightening its squeeze on the government over the vexatious nuclear agreement, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday welcomed the multilateral joint naval exercises.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI : Notwithstanding the Left tightening its squeeze on the government over the vexatious nuclear agreement, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday welcomed the multilateral joint naval exercises that are going to be held in the Indian Ocean next month with Japan, Australia, the US and Singapore. The announcement coincided with a discussion on the naval drill and the Left’s mass mobilisation plans against it at the CPM’s central committee meeting.
Mr Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe welcomed the naval exercises, which is sure to anger the Left more, and agreed to increase security and defence engagement between the two countries. ``The two leaders welcomed the participation of the Japanese Maritime Self-defence Force in the multilateral maritime exercise ‘Malabar’ to be held in September 2007 in the Bay of Bengal,’’ read the joint statement. released at the end of talks between the two leaders at Hyderabad House.
The CPM had expressed its serious concerns about the joint naval exercises saying that this was a step towards being drawn into an already existing ``trilateral military cooperation’’ between Japan, Australia and US. They had further said Japan and Australia are close military allies of the US and that India is now joining their ranks.
Mr Singh and Mr Abe agreed that they would push for ``steady and qualitative upgradation of cooperation’’ in the defence and security fields and recognised the ``common interests’’ of the two countries. This includes regular defence policy dialogue, joint exercises, training and talks between the services, according to the joint statement. The two leaders also recognised that India and Japan share common interests in maintaining the safety and security of sea lanes in the Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean regions.
After Mr Abe’s meeting with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, a Japanese official said that Mr Mukherjee had conveyed to Mr Abe that India hopes to intensify cooperation in the security arena, particularly in the Malacca Straits. Mr Abe, the official said, had also said that the promotion of defence ties symbolises the growing ties between India and Japan.
Mr Singh and Mr Abe have also directed the concerned ministries to study the future course of cooperation in the security field between the two countries. The cooperation will be firmed up by the time Mr Singh visits Japan in 2008. Interestingly, after Mr Abe’s visit, Japan’s defence minister Yuriko Koike arrives from Pakistan on Friday to hold talks with defence minister A.K. Anthony on issues related to anti-terrorism.
US Pacific Area Commander Admiral Timothy Keating is also in Delhi today and is scheduled to meet with members of the armed forces in a bid to enhance defence ties between the two countries.
Mr Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe welcomed the naval exercises, which is sure to anger the Left more, and agreed to increase security and defence engagement between the two countries. ``The two leaders welcomed the participation of the Japanese Maritime Self-defence Force in the multilateral maritime exercise ‘Malabar’ to be held in September 2007 in the Bay of Bengal,’’ read the joint statement. released at the end of talks between the two leaders at Hyderabad House.
The CPM had expressed its serious concerns about the joint naval exercises saying that this was a step towards being drawn into an already existing ``trilateral military cooperation’’ between Japan, Australia and US. They had further said Japan and Australia are close military allies of the US and that India is now joining their ranks.
Mr Singh and Mr Abe agreed that they would push for ``steady and qualitative upgradation of cooperation’’ in the defence and security fields and recognised the ``common interests’’ of the two countries. This includes regular defence policy dialogue, joint exercises, training and talks between the services, according to the joint statement. The two leaders also recognised that India and Japan share common interests in maintaining the safety and security of sea lanes in the Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean regions.
After Mr Abe’s meeting with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, a Japanese official said that Mr Mukherjee had conveyed to Mr Abe that India hopes to intensify cooperation in the security arena, particularly in the Malacca Straits. Mr Abe, the official said, had also said that the promotion of defence ties symbolises the growing ties between India and Japan.
Mr Singh and Mr Abe have also directed the concerned ministries to study the future course of cooperation in the security field between the two countries. The cooperation will be firmed up by the time Mr Singh visits Japan in 2008. Interestingly, after Mr Abe’s visit, Japan’s defence minister Yuriko Koike arrives from Pakistan on Friday to hold talks with defence minister A.K. Anthony on issues related to anti-terrorism.
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US Pacific Area Commander Admiral Timothy Keating is also in Delhi today and is scheduled to meet with members of the armed forces in a bid to enhance defence ties between the two countries.
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