In Pictures: What will Narendra Modi's Japan visit bring for India?

Tokyo, Sep 1: India and Japan on Monday decided to "upgrade" and "strengthen" their defence cooperation as they asked officials to launch consultations to promote military equipment collaboration and accelerate discussions on modalities for the sale of Japanese US-2 amphibian aircraft.

The decision to firm-up defence ties came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held summit-level talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe here.

"The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of defence relations between India and Japan in their strategic partnership and decided to upgrade and strengthen them," a joint statement issued after the talks said.

The two sides signed a Memorandum of Cooperation and Exchanges in the Field of Defence during Prime Minister Modi's five-day visit.

Narendra Modi with foreign delegates

India and Japan on Monday decided to "upgrade" and "strengthen" their defence cooperation as they asked officials to launch consultations to promote military equipment collaboration and accelerate discussions on modalities for the sale of Japanese US-2 amphibian aircraft.

Narendra Modi with children in Japan

"The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of defence relations between India and Japan in their strategic partnership and decided to upgrade and strengthen them," joint statement.

Modi looks on as school children entertain

The two sides stressed on the importance of the regularisation of bilateral maritime exercises as well as on Japan's continued participation in India-US Malabar series of exercises.

'India's friendship with Japan has strengthened'

"India's friendship with Japan has strengthened over a period of time. India and Japan's spiritual partnership is not bound by time," Modi said.

Modi welcomed the recent developments in Japan's policy

Prime Minister Modi welcomed the recent developments in Japan's policy on transfer of defence equipment and technology.

India and Japan directed their officials to launch working-level consultations

India and Japan directed their officials to launch working-level consultations between the two countries with a view to promoting defence equipment and technology cooperation.

US-2 amphibian aircraft project to be accelerated

The two sides also decided to accelerate their discussions in the Joint Working Group on cooperation in US-2 amphibian aircraft and its technology.

With PTI inputs

OneIndia News