India’s defence partnership with Japan crucial for Indo-Pacific region: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi, Sep 08: Defence minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday that India's defence partnership with Japan would play a crucial role in ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. Singh held a bilateral meeting with Japanese counterpart Yasukazu Hamada in which both the leaders reviewed various aspects of bilateral defence cooperation and regional affairs during the meeting.

In a tweet, the defence minister wrote, "Reviewed various aspects of bilateral defence cooperation and regional affairs during the bilateral meeting with the Japan's Minister of Defence, Mr Yasukazu Hamada in Tokyo today. This year marks 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries."

He also said, "India and Japan pursue a Special Strategic and Global Partnership. India's defence partnership with Japan will play a crucial role in ensuing free, open and rules-based Indo Pacific region."

During the delegation-level talks, 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, according to a release issued by the Ministry of Defence.

The release also said, "The Ministers expressed their commitment in continuing bilateral and multilateral exercises including 'Dharma Guardian', 'JIMEX' and 'Malabar'."

The two ministers agreed that the early conduct of the inaugural fighter exercise will pave the way for much greater cooperation and interoperability between the Air Forces of the two countries.

The defence minister emphasised on the need to expand the scope of partnership in the field of defence equipment and technological cooperation. "He invited Japanese industries to invest in India's defence corridors where a conducive environment for the growth of the defence industry has been created by the Government of India," read the release.

Before the bilateral meeting, the defence minister inspected the guard of honour at Japan's ministry of defence today.

The defence minister also laid a wreath at the memorial dedicated to the country's Self Defence Forces at the Ministry of Defence, Japan.

For the second India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Meeting, defence minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr S. Jaishankar are in Japan.