Japan, India Affirm Closer Defense Cooperation

Japan, India Affirm Closer Defense Cooperation

Tokyo, July 13 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Indian Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on Monday affirmed closer defense cooperation between the two countries.

This followed an agreement earlier this month between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, to deepen bilateral cooperation in pursuit of shared goals, including the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

At the day's meeting in Tokyo, Koizumi said Japan and India bear "extremely large" responsibilities and play important roles as regional powers in stabilizing the Indo-Pacific region.

Singh said India shares the values embodied in the FOIP initiative.

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