Japan and India agree to promote their strategic partnership.

Japan and India pledged on May 29 to further strengthen their strategic partnership by enhancing bilateral cooperation across a range of fields.

In a joint statement issued after talks between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, who was visiting Tokyo, the two sides agreed to strengthen political exchanges through bilateral mechanisms, including the Strategic Dialogue between the two countries' foreign ministers and the "2+2" meeting between top diplomatic and defense officials.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo. (Source: AFP)

Both sides committed to deepening defense relations and maritime cooperation, including increasing regular joint exercises between the Japan Coast Guard and the Indian Navy, and establishing a joint working group to study the possibility of exporting Japan's US-2 seaplanes to India.

In addition, the two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the fields of civil nuclear power, liquefied natural gas, and other energy projects, and to promote bilateral dialogues on a civil nuclear cooperation agreement before Japan exports technology and equipment to build nuclear power plants in India. These dialogues, launched in June 2010, were suspended after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear crisis in Japan in March 2011.

Furthermore, both sides emphasized the importance of international forums, including the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Regional Forum, and the ASEAN Expanded Defence Ministers' Meeting, in maintaining regional prosperity, stability, and peace. The two leaders pledged to cooperate closely in reforming the United Nations, including expanding the UN Security Council.

Japanese Prime Minister Abe affirmed his desire to strengthen relations between Japan and India on the basis of a strategic and global partnership. He stated that Tokyo would maintain official development assistance to promote India's economic and social development efforts. Accordingly, Japan will increase its loan to India to 101.7 billion yen (approximately $1 billion), including a 71 billion yen (approximately $700 million) loan for the construction of a subway system in Mumbai, and will also consider increasing manpower and financial assistance for India's "Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor" project.

In addition, Japan will invite approximately 1,200 young Indian people to visit Japan to strengthen educational and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

For his part, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh emphasized the importance of strengthening political dialogue and consultations, as well as enhancing defense relations between the two countries.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is on a four-day official visit to Japan, starting on May 27th. According to the plan, after his visit to Japan, the Indian Prime Minister will travel to Thailand on May 30th.

According to (VNA) - DT