Japan, India to step up defense, economic ties as leaders meet in Tokyo

The leaders of Japan and India agreed Monday to step up their cooperation in defense, trade and other areas amid China’s growing influence in the region, AP reports. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, said in Tokyo they are expanding ammunition sales and high-level defense talks and joint military exercises. “Relations between Japan and India have the biggest potential in the world,” Abe said after the talks. Modi said that “without India-Japan cooperation, there will be no development in Asia into the next century.” Abe and Modi welcomed joint exercises by their ground, sea and air forces and the start of negotiations toward an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement, which would enable sharing of supplies and ammunition between the two militaries. The two leaders also signed a second-phase agreement for a Japanese super-express railway project in India. The meeting comes immediately after Abe’s visit to Beijing, where he met with Chinese leaders.