India and Japan announced on Thursday that they will strengthen defense cooperation, with New Delhi inviting Japanese companies to invest and both nations arranging a combined military exercise involving their air force planes.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh met with his Japanese counterpart, Yasukazu Hamada, in Tokyo, and both will meet with their respective foreign ministries later in the day for "two-plus-two" talks.
“He invited Japanese industries to invest in India’s defense corridors,” India’s defense ministry said in a statement, referring to Singh.
“The two ministers agreed that the early conduct of the inaugural fighter exercise will pave the way for much greater cooperation and inter-operability between the air forces of the two countries.”
India, like Japan, is bolstering its military to tackle what it sees as increased security threats, including from neighboring China.
The two countries, along with Australia and the United States are members of the Quad group of nations and hold annual naval exercises across the Indo-Pacific to demonstrate interoperability.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh met with his Japanese counterpart, Yasukazu Hamada, in Tokyo, and both will meet with their respective foreign ministries later in the day for "two-plus-two" talks.
“He invited Japanese industries to invest in India’s defense corridors,” India’s defense ministry said in a statement, referring to Singh.
“The two ministers agreed that the early conduct of the inaugural fighter exercise will pave the way for much greater cooperation and inter-operability between the air forces of the two countries.”
India, like Japan, is bolstering its military to tackle what it sees as increased security threats, including from neighboring China.
The two countries, along with Australia and the United States are members of the Quad group of nations and hold annual naval exercises across the Indo-Pacific to demonstrate interoperability.
