North News
New Delhi, November 22
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with his Japanese counterpart, Gen Nakatani, and the Secretary of National Defence (Defence Minister) of the Philippines, Gilberto Teodoro, on the final day of his three-day visit to Vientiane, Lao PDR.
Meeting with Japanese Defence Minister
The two sides underscored the importance of strengthening defence industry and technology cooperation between India and Japan. Building on the milestone achievement of signing the Memorandum of Implementation for the UNICORN mast in Japan last week, both ministers agreed to enhance collaboration in co-production and co-development within the defence manufacturing sector.
To boost inter-operability between Indian and Japanese forces, the ministers discussed the Reciprocal Provision of Supply and Services Agreement and explored opportunities for further participation in various bilateral and multilateral military exercises. Both sides also expressed interest in expanding cooperation in the air domain.
Meeting with Philippine Defence Minister
Defence Minister Singh also met with Mr. Gilberto Teodoro, the Philippines’ Secretary of National Defence. Both parties discussed the importance of strengthening defence ties and regional security cooperation, including joint training and capacity-building initiatives.
