RAKSHA MANTRI AND HIS JAPANESE COUNTERPART REVIEW DEFENCE COOPERATION AND REGIONAL SECURITY SITUATION

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with Minister of Defense of Japan Mr Yasukazu Hamada in Tokyo on September 8, 2022. The two Ministers reviewed various aspects of bilateral defence cooperation as well as regional affairs. They acknowledged the importance of India-Japan defence partnership and the critical role it will play in ensuring free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. Shri Rajnath Singh 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 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. The two Ministers agreed that the early conduct of the inaugural fighter exercise will pave way for much greater cooperation and interoperability between the Air Forces of the two countries.