India and Japan agree to promote defense cooperation

Photo: India and Japan agree to promote defense cooperation

India and Japan agree to promote defense cooperation

Visiting Indian Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Japan's Defense Agency chief Fukushiro Nukaga issued a joint statement on defense cooperation, the first of its kind, after holding talks in Tokyo.

Japan and India will exchange information and assessments on a regular basis to tackle global terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, disaster relief and peacekeeping operations, the statement said.

The two countries also plan to have meetings between the defense chiefs regularly and hold maritime exercises, it said.

During his four-day visit, Mukherjee plans to tour Japanese companies to explore the possibility of collaborations between the Japanese and Indian military sectors, according to Japan's Foreign Ministry, the AP reports.

Mukherjee was scheduled to meet Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, Foreign Minister Taro Aso and Transport Minister Kazuo Kitagawa on Friday.