Japan boosts military ties with India as it seeks to counter China
Tokyo boosts military ties with New Delhi amid escalation in tensions with Beijing following PM Shinzo Abe's visit to Yasukuni war shrine
Japan yesterday pressed ahead with a two-pronged effort to counter China, forging closer military ties with India as Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida set off to court Spain and France.
The moves come amid rising tensions over the disputed sovereignty of a set of uninhabited islands, and Chinese fury at Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's recent visit to the Yasukuni war shrine.
Japan and India expanded air force ties before Abe visits New Delhi in a few weeks, bolstering relations two months after China declared an air-defence identification zone over the disputed maritime area.
Japan's defence minister, Itsunori Onodera, and his Indian counterpart, A.K. Antony, discussed starting talks between air force officials while reaffirming plans to conduct regular naval exercises, according to an Indian government statement. Asia's second- and third-largest economies might also conduct pilot exchanges, it said.
"Both sides know that China stands between them and that they'd be smart to make sure they're on the same page with each other now and in the future," said Uday Bhaskar, an analyst with the New Delhi-based National Maritime Foundation who spent 37 years in the Indian Navy.
"They're taking steps, small steps, but if there's an inclusion of the air force now, then you're seeing growth in this relationship."
The defence ministers met in New Delhi and "decided to strengthen India-Japan defence consultation and co-operation, including those related to maritime security", the Indian government said in the statement. Indian naval vessels would visit Japan to conduct exercises this year, it said.
