Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold a bilateral meeting with Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in New Delhi on Thursday, with the discussions expected to focus on strengthening defence cooperation and promoting stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region. The meeting comes as India and Japan seek to expand their strategic partnership across maritime security, defence technology and equipment collaboration.
Koizumi arrived in Mumbai on Wednesday for his first visit to India as Japan's Defence Minister. During his visit to the city, he inspected a Guard of Honour at the Western Naval Command and laid a wreath at the Gaurav Stambh at the Naval Dockyard. He also visited the Indian Navy's indigenous warship INS Chennai as part of his engagements with India's defence establishment.
The Japanese minister held discussions with Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan and Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan. According to the Defence Ministry, the Japanese delegation was briefed on the Indian Navy's roles, responsibilities and operational capabilities. Koizumi is scheduled to travel to New Delhi for his meeting with Singh on Thursday.
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The Defence Ministry said the meeting is expected to strengthen bilateral defence ties, enhance strategic trust and identify new areas of cooperation. The two ministers are also expected to exchange views on deeper maritime security cooperation and greater collaboration in defence equipment and technology under the Make-in-India framework. The discussions assume significance following Japan's revision of its Three Principles on Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology.
India and Japan share a broader strategic vision of a free, open, resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. The Defence Ministry described Koizumi's two-day visit as a reflection of the growing momentum in bilateral defence cooperation and the commitment of both countries to expand their strategic partnership. Maritime security has emerged as an important area of cooperation between the two countries as they seek to contribute to regional stability.
The meeting follows Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's visit to India in July for the 16th Annual Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which the two countries agreed to deepen defence and security cooperation. During that visit, India and Japan signed agreements valued at more than $10 billion covering areas including artificial intelligence, defence and clean energy, with Japan also targeting investments of 10 trillion yen in India over the next decade.
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