New Delhi, Oct. 28 -- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday held wide-ranging talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi, exploring the possibility of joint production of naval platforms by leveraging Japan's technological expertise and India's production capabilities.
The meeting took place in Cebu, Philippines, on the margins of a multilateral conclave.
Singh and Koizumi also shared commitment of India and Japan in working towards a free, open and peaceful Indo-Pacific.
The defence ministry said the two ministers explore new avenues to further strengthen India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership with a focus on concrete maritime security cooperation that serves the strategic and operational needs of both sides.
The two sides explored the possibility of joint development in naval shipbuilding and design by leveraging Japan's technological expertise and India's production capabilities, officials said.
The ministers further concurred on accelerating discussions towards convening the fourth Japan-India Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting (2+2) and the Japan-India Defence Ministers' Meeting in Tokyo later this year.
In a post on X after the meeting, Singh stated that the discussions explored new avenues to further strengthen the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
He added that the shared commitment of India and Japan remains vital for a free, open, and peaceful Indo-Pacific region.
Singh said he also held a "productive" meeting with South Korean Minister of National Defence Kang Shin-chul.
"We reviewed our expanding bilateral defence cooperation and discussed ways to co-develop military technologies and strengthen regional security in the Indo-Pacific," he said.
Singh also held a meeting with Secretary of National Defence of the Philippines, Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr.
"We reviewed our ongoing defense cooperation and discussed avenues to further strengthen our strategic partnership, particularly focusing on maritime security and joint defense production. India remains committed to fostering a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region," he said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.