JOINT STATEMENT OF RAKSHA MANTRI AND JAPANESE DEFENCE MINISTER

The Defence Minister of Japan General nakatani paid a visit to India at the invitation of raksha Mantri Manohar parrikar. The two Ministers held the annual Defence Ministerial Meeting on July 14 and issued a joint statement, salient aspects of which are given below. The Ministers exchanged ideas under the framework of the ‘India-Japan special strategic and Global partnership’. There was shared recognition that imperatives of a stronger bilateral strategic partnership require deep and broad-based cooperation and concrete actions in defence and security fields including stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region. Terrorism poses one of the most serious threats to the peace and security of the international community, as well as to the stability and development of the region. They emphasised that the evolving character of terrorism called for stronger international partnership in combating terrorism. The Ministers recognised that the security and stability of the seas connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans are indispensable for the peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region. The Ministers welcomed the signing of the bilateral Memorandum on Defence cooperation and exchanges between the two Defence Ministries in september 2014. also the conclusion of agreement concerning Transfer of Defence equipment & Technology; and agreement concerning security Measures for the Protection of Classified Military Information, during India-Japan summit meeting in December 2015. high-level and Working-level exchanges. They are: annual Defence Ministerial Meeting. The Defence Minister of India will visit Japan in 2017. exchange of visits of chiefs of respective defence forces. explore the setting up of a Maritime strategic Dialogue between the two Defence Ministries. The Ministers expressed their satisfaction at close linkages between the Indian navy and the Japan Maritime self-Defense force specially the IndiaUs-Japan Trilateral Joint Maritime and decided that the next one will be held in 2017. They commended the effort made by both countries regarding the cooperation on Us-2 amphibious aircraft which was launched in 2013.