The Defence Minister ,Mr. AK Antony has said that India will continue to promote defence ties with Japan. This was conveyed during his talks with the visiting former Prime Minister of Japan Mr. Shinzo Abe in New Delhi today. Mr. Antony stressed that bilateral defence interactions will continue to be pursued. Mr. Abe expressed the view that cooperation between India and Japan was in the interest of both nations and in the interest of regional peace and security.

At the delegation level talks Mr. Abe was accompanied by representatives of Japan’s National Diet and the Japan Institute of National Fundamentals. The Indian delegation included Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma, Special Secretary RK Mathur and Director General, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) NS Sisodia.During the meeting both sides noted with satisfaction the enhanced bilateral engagements between India and Japan in all spheres, including the defence sector. Issues relating to regional and global security were also discussed during the meeting.