New Delhi: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi departed for a four-day visit to Japan on Monday, marking a significant step in bolstering the defence cooperation between the two nations.

General Upendra Dwivedi will interact with the Indian Ambassador to Japan, Sibi George, today and thereafter engage in discussion on India-Japan relations at the Embassy of India in Tokyo, according to the Ministry of Defence press release.

On October 15, General Dwivedi will engage in dialogues with the senior military leadership of Japan at the MoD in Ichigaya. His meetings are planned with General Yoshida Yoshihide, Chief of Staff, Joint Self Defence Force; General Morishita Yasunori, Chief of Staff, Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF); Ishikawa Takeshi, Commissioner of Acquisition, Technology and Logistic Agency (ATLA).

"The discussions will be aimed at fostering stronger military cooperation between India and Japan. General Upendra Dwivedi will also pay homage at the Memorial at MoD, Ichigaya and will be given a Guard of Honour by the JGSDF. The itinerary also includes an interaction with the senior hierarchy of JGSDF and a visit to the National Institute of Defence Studies," the Ministry of Defence stated in a press release.

On October 16, General Dwivedi, accompanied by General Morishita Yasunori, will visit Fuji School, wherein he will engage in a conversation with Lieutenant General Kodama Yasuyuki, Commanding Gen of Fuji School, according to Ministry of Defence press release. During the visit, the COAS will be given a briefing at the School and he will also witness an Equipment and Facility Display.

The COAS will visit Hiroshima on October 17, wherein he will lay a wreath at Hiroshima Peace Park and pay floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi's Statue at the Peace Park, the release stated.

"The visit by General Upendra Dwivedi aims at strengthening military cooperation between militaries of India and Japan besides exploring new avenues of collaboration between the two nations," it added.

Earlier on October 10, Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi met with General Yoshihide Yoshida, Chief of Staff of the Japan Self Defence Force, in New Delhi.

This meeting was part of Exercise 'MALABAR 2024,' a military exercise involving India, Japan, the United States, and Australia aimed at promoting stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

During their meeting, General Yoshida and Admiral Tripathi discussed ways to enhance existing defence cooperation avenues, explore technological collaboration, and identify new opportunities to strengthen bilateral ties.

The Indian Navy shared pictures from their meeting, stating, "Gen Yoshihide Yoshida, Chief of Staff, Joint Staff, Japan Self Defence Force, on a visit to India for Exercise #MALABAR2024, interacted with Adm Dinesh K Tripathi, #CNS on #10Oct 24, #NewDelhi."

"Discussions progressed on existing defence cooperation avenues, technological collaboration and new opportunities to strengthen bilateral ties towards a Free and Open #IndoPacific," the Indian Navy spokesperson added.

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