Tokyo [Japan]: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday held a bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart Yasukazu Hamada in Tokyo and reviewed various aspects of cooperation including regional affairs.
"Reviewed various aspects of bilateral defence cooperation and regional affairs during the bilateral meeting with Japan's Minister of Defence, Yasukazu Hamada in Tokyo today. This year marks 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries," Rajnath Singh said in a tweet.
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"India and Japan pursue a Special Strategic and Global Partnership. India's defence partnership with Japan will play a crucial role in ensuring free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region," he said further.
Earlier in the day, he paid tribute to Japan's Self Defence Forces (SDF) personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty."My tributes to Japan's Self Defense Forces personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty," Rajnath Singh tweeted.
Defence Minister is in Tokyo for the 2+2 Ministerial meeting between India and Japan. Rajnath Singh will also attend a community event organised by the Embassy of India in Tokyo and interact with the Indian diaspora in Japan. The economic relationship between India and Japan has steadily expanded and deepened in recent years as the volume of trade between the two countries has increased manifold.
Back in May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Japanese PM Fumio Kishida in Japan and had a productive exchange of views on enhancing bilateral relations in various spheres as well as on some regional and global issues.
During the talks, the two leaders agreed to further enhance bilateral security and defence cooperation, including in the area of defence manufacturing. At that time, they had concurred that the next 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting may be held in Japan at the earliest. Earlier on Wednesday, the Defence Minister who was on an official visit to Mongolia before arriving in Tokyo paid tribute to the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Ulaanbaatar.
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"Paid tributes to Poojya Bapu in Ulaanbaatar," the Defence Minister tweeted.
Singh also inaugurated the Cyber Security Training Centre at National Defence University in Ulaanbaatar. The centre built with assistance from the Government of India is a one-of-its-kind cyber-related international cooperation project which will be instrumental in imparting cyber security training to the Mongolian Armed Forces.
Rajnath Singh also met with the Speaker of Mongolian Parliament, Gombojavyn Zandanshatar and complimented him on his consistent support to promote and expand the shared heritage of Buddhism. India and Mongolia share a strategic partnership and defence is a key pillar of this partnership. The two democracies have a common interest in fostering peace and prosperity in the entire region.
The bilateral defence engagements with Mongolia have been expanding to include wide-ranging contacts between the two countries, including Joint Working Group meetings, military-to-military exchanges, high-level visits, capacity building and training programmes and bilateral exercises. (ANI)
