NEW DELHI: Amid growing convergence on strategic issues, particularly the common agenda of ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific, India and Japan are in talks to revise and update the joint declaration on security cooperation they signed in 2008. The third India-Japan 2+2 foreign and defence industrial meeting on Tuesday will look to carry forward the ongoing dialogue for the same, paving the way for a formal announcement at the summit-level later this year.
Foreign minister S Jaishankar and defence minister Rajnath Singh will host their counterparts, Yoko Kamikawa and Minoru Kihara respectively, looking to further intensify defence and security cooperation between the two countries.
Recognising the need to work together for peace and stability in Asia and their common interest in the safety of sea lines of communications, the landmark 2008 declaration had laid the foundations for stronger security cooperation through, among other things, strategic dialogue between the foreign ministers and consultations between the defence ministers and NSAs.
The two sides are also expected to discuss India’s proposal for a Quad summit, which PM Narendra Modi has to host this year, on the margins of the UN General Assembly next month in New York City. With the US preoccupied with the Nov presidential elections, this will effectively be the last chance for India to have the meeting in 2024.
The chances of the Summit taking place in the US in Sep received a boost this week, with reports from Tokyo suggesting that Kishida, who will step down as PM after the ruling LDP leadership poll in late Sep, is considering visiting the US just before he demits office to participate in the General Assembly and to also meet President Joe Biden. Significantly, former Japan PM Yoshihide Suga too had travelled to the US in September, 2021, to participate in the first in-person Quad summit just before he stepped down. Quad has emerged as a key foreign policy pillar for India, Australia, Japan and the US as they work jointly to ensure a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is resilient and free from coercion.
In the 2+2, Japan and India are also expected to discuss the proposed transfer by Tokyo of stealth ship antennas and related technology to the Indian Navy. The Tokyo based Nikkei Asia reported last week that Japan will announce an agreement for the same during the talks on Tuesday. The two countries are already cooperating in areas like Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV)/Robotics.
Apart from the increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region talks are also expected on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the Gaza crisis with both sides likely to reaffirm their commitment to a rules-based global order that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, as also the need to follow international law and not do anything to unilaterally change the status quo.
Foreign minister S Jaishankar and defence minister Rajnath Singh will host their counterparts, Yoko Kamikawa and Minoru Kihara respectively, looking to further intensify defence and security cooperation between the two countries.
Recognising the need to work together for peace and stability in Asia and their common interest in the safety of sea lines of communications, the landmark 2008 declaration had laid the foundations for stronger security cooperation through, among other things, strategic dialogue between the foreign ministers and consultations between the defence ministers and NSAs.
The two sides are also expected to discuss India’s proposal for a Quad summit, which PM Narendra Modi has to host this year, on the margins of the UN General Assembly next month in New York City. With the US preoccupied with the Nov presidential elections, this will effectively be the last chance for India to have the meeting in 2024.
The chances of the Summit taking place in the US in Sep received a boost this week, with reports from Tokyo suggesting that Kishida, who will step down as PM after the ruling LDP leadership poll in late Sep, is considering visiting the US just before he demits office to participate in the General Assembly and to also meet President Joe Biden. Significantly, former Japan PM Yoshihide Suga too had travelled to the US in September, 2021, to participate in the first in-person Quad summit just before he stepped down. Quad has emerged as a key foreign policy pillar for India, Australia, Japan and the US as they work jointly to ensure a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is resilient and free from coercion.
In the 2+2, Japan and India are also expected to discuss the proposed transfer by Tokyo of stealth ship antennas and related technology to the Indian Navy. The Tokyo based Nikkei Asia reported last week that Japan will announce an agreement for the same during the talks on Tuesday. The two countries are already cooperating in areas like Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV)/Robotics.
Apart from the increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region talks are also expected on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and the Gaza crisis with both sides likely to reaffirm their commitment to a rules-based global order that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, as also the need to follow international law and not do anything to unilaterally change the status quo.