Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday held bilateral talks with his Japanese counterpart, General Nakatani, in the national capital and thanked the Japanese government for expressing solidarity with India over the recent terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people.
During the meeting, Singh praised General Nakatani for his continued efforts to strengthen defence cooperation between the two countries.
In his opening remarks at the India-Japan Defence Ministerial Meeting, Rajnath Singh recalled their previous meeting in Vientiane, Laos, in November last year and expressed confidence that bilateral defence ties would continue to grow.
“Let me begin by extending a warm welcome to you and your delegation to India. I recall our meeting in Vientiane last November, where we agreed to expand defence cooperation, including in industry, technology, and interoperability between our armed forces. At the outset, I would like to thank the Government of Japan for its strong expression of solidarity with India in the wake of the Pahalgam attack,” Singh said.
He added, “I take this opportunity to compliment you for your immense contribution in deepening Indo-Japan defence cooperation. You laid the foundation for a strong bilateral defence partnership by concluding the Defence Equipment and Technology Cooperation Agreement and the Agreement concerning the Protection of Classified Military Information. Now that you have once again assumed charge of the defence portfolio, I am confident our cooperation will reach greater heights.”
This marked the second meeting between the two leaders in the past six months, following their first interaction on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Laos in November 2024.
Earlier in the day, General Nakatani was accorded a Guard of Honour in New Delhi. He was received by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and the two leaders exchanged warm greetings. General Nakatani also laid a wreath at the National War Memorial.
In a press release, the Ministry of Defence noted that India and Japan share a long-standing friendship, which gained further momentum after the elevation of bilateral ties to a Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014. Defence and security cooperation remain key pillars of this relationship.
“Defence exchanges between India and Japan have strengthened in recent years due to the growing convergence on strategic matters,” the press release stated. “This cooperation holds increasing significance given the shared vision for peace, security, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
— ANI
