Abe, Modi Agree to Set Up Ministerial Security Dialogue

October 30, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, on Monday agreed to set up two-plus-two ministerial security dialogue between their countries.

Establishing the dialogue between the two countries' foreign and defense ministers was part of a broader agreement reached between Abe and Modi during their talks in Tokyo to strengthen security and economic cooperation between Japan and India.

Japan and India will promote a strategic and global partnership between them to make the Indo-Pacific region free and open, Abe told a joint press conference with Modi.

Modi said the purpose of setting up the security dialogue is to pursue peace and stability.

During their talks, Abe unveiled Japan's plan to extend 316.5 billion yen in low-interest loans to India to finance projects such as the development of a high-speed railway line using Japan's Shinkansen bullet train technology.

Abe described the railway project as a symbol of a new Japan-India era.

The two leaders also agreed to jointly develop infrastructure in third countries such as Sri Lanka and Myanmar, work closely in health and medical fields and cooperate to promote entrepreneurship in the digital field.

They agreed that Japan and India will conclude a currency swap treaty worth 75 billion dollars to cope with a possible financial crisis.

Abe and Modi confirmed the start of talks on concluding an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement between Japan's Self-Defense Forces and India's military.

The two governments signed a document about cooperation between the Japanese Maritime SDF and the Indian Navy. They will start dialogue on bilateral cooperation in space science.

Abe and Modi also confirmed cooperation on denuclearizing North Korea and resolving the issue of Japanese citizens kidnapped by the country decades ago.

During the meeting, Japan's participation in the International Solar Alliance, a multilateral framework led by India and France to promote solar power generation, was confirmed.

The Japanese and Indian leaders continue to take turns to visit each other's country, with Midi visiting Japan for the third time. The latest meeting was the 12th for Abe and Modi. Jiji Press