Boosting maritime ties to be focus of 2+2 dialogue between India and Japan

Ramping up maritime security cooperation in strategic waters, including in the Indo-Pacific region, will be a key focus area of the first two-plus-two dialogue between India and Japan here on Saturday, officials said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will head the Indian delegation while the Japanese side will be led by Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Minister of Defence Taro Kono.

"The 2+2 meeting would provide an opportunity for the two sides to review the status of and exchange further views on strengthening defence and security cooperation between India and Japan," the external affairs ministry said. The talks under the new framework is taking place following a decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe during the 13th India-Japan annual summit last year.

The two leaders decided to institute the new mechanism for further deepening bilateral security and defence cooperation and bring greater depth to the special strategic and global partnership between the two countries. The MEA said the two sides will also exchange views on the situation in the Indo-Pacific region and their respective efforts under India's 'Act East Policy' and Japan's 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific Vision' to achieve their shared objective of peace, prosperity and progress in the region.