Coast Guard DG Returns from Japan Visit

New Delhi, Jun 1 (UNI) Indian and Japan have held wideranging discussions on marine security with particular emphasis on keeping the sealanes secure.

The deliberations were held over this week during a six-day official visit to Japan of Director General Coast Guard Vice Admiral RF Contractor from May 26-31.

Besides further cementing bridges of understanding, Vice Adm Contractor held high-level talks with the Japan Coast Guard top-brass in addition to overseeing the Japan Coast Guard Sea Review at Tokyo and the Eighth Indo-Japan Coast Guard Joint Exercise at Nagoya.

Coming up for discussions during his official meetings with his Japanese counterpart -- Commandant Hiroki Ishikawa, Chief of the Japanese Coast Guard -- and other agencies were various issues such as cooperation in the field of search and rescue, anti-piracy, drugs and arms trafficking, illegal immigration, environmental protection, disaster management and response, boarding operations and training, said an official spokesperson here today.

The Indian and Japanese Coast Guards have been conducting joint exercises every year since 2000 -- alternately in India and Japan.

Last year, on November 24, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the two Coast Guards at Mumbai.

The visit of this high-level delegation assumes great significance in the context of the Indo-Japan strategic and Global Partnership dialogue initiated during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Japan during December last.

UNI