Japanese Defense Min goes onboard Indian Su-30 aircraft during visit to IAF base at Hindon

Japanese Defense Minister Kono Taro while on his visit to India arrived at the Hindon Airforce base on Saturday and went onboard the SU-30 MKI fighter aircraft. The Japanese Defense Minister and accompanying delegation were received by Air Marshal D Choudhury, Senior Air Staff Officer of Western Air Command and Air Commodore Rajiv Talwar at Air Force Station Hindan. During his visit, the Minister was given an overview of the Indian Air Force organisational structure and operational capability of the Indian Air Force.

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Two-day bilateral visit

The Japanese Defence Minister is on a two days bilateral visit to India to attend the inaugural meeting of the India-Japan Foreign and Defence Ministerial (2+2) dialogue which begins from November 30. The Indian delegation will be led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar while Japan's Foreign Affairs Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defence Minister Taro Kono will lead the Japanese side. The two sides are expected to have discussions on boosting defence and security, amongst other issues of mutual interest. 

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement that the meeting is being held on the mutual agreement between PM Modi and Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe during the 13th India-Japan Annual Summit held in Japan in October 2018. The meet aims to institute a Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue for further deepening bilateral security and defence cooperation, as per the statement. 

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"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 so as to provide greater depth to the 'India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership'," the statement added.

The two sides will also discuss the situation in the Indo-Pacific region. In reflection of their growing congruence in defence ties, the two strategic partners have already decided to go for joint development of military platforms. The two sides were also learnt to have deliberated on the long-pending issue of supply of the US-2 amphibious aircraft by Japan to India.

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