India and Japan on Tuesday explored the possibility of coordinating respective security strategies and development assistance where mutual interests converge for “free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific” and emphasised that both are resolute in their opposition to terror, including cross-border terrorism.

New Delhi and Tokyo also decided to boost their defence partnership and appreciated the progress made for the transfer of Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN) and related technologies and early signing of related arrangements. The two sides concurred on exploring discussions for coordination and cooperation in the field of defence and security assistance to third countries for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The two sides also explored future cooperation in the area of ship maintenance in India.

At the third edition of the '2 +2' Ministerial (foreign & defence) meet held here, the ministers unequivocally condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism, and called for bringing the perpetrators of 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot, and other attacks to justice.

They called for concerted actions against all UN-listed terrorist groups, including Al Qaeda, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and their proxy groups, and to take resolute actions to root out terrorists’ safe havens, eliminate terrorist financing channels, and halt cross-border movement of terrorists, according to the joint statement issued after the meeting.

In his statement to the media, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the cooperation between India and Japan is set against a larger context of a “free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific”. He was joined at the meeting by defence minister Rajnath Singh, Japanese foreign minister Kamikawa Yoko and Defense minister Kihara Minoru.

“As a result, we have consciously sought to facilitate each other’s endeavours, comprehend each other’s objectives, strengthen each other’s positions and work with other nations of shared comfort. Our strategic partnership will continue to grow as we embrace mutuality and display sensitivity,” the minister added.

“We explored the possibility of coordinating our respective security and development assistance where our interests converge,” he added.

Jaishankar said both India and Japan are resolute in their opposition to terror, including cross-border terrorism. “We discussed strengthening our capacity-building cooperation, including on dealing with challenges emanating in the cyber space and through the misuse of digital technologies,” he said.

The ministers appreciated the progress in the defence cooperation and exchanges among each component between the two sides since the last meeting in September 2022.

They further concurred on deepening bilateral cooperation in the field of space and cyber. They reaffirmed the importance of multilateral defence cooperation and exchanges in the Indo-Pacific region. The ministers appreciated the successful completion of the cooperation in the areas of Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV)/Robotics.

Agencies