Japan pushes for naval ties with India
Dated 3/4/2006
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Japan is ready to give transit facilities in the Pacific Ocean to Indian naval warships, in return for similar facilities to its coast guard service in the Indian Ocean, which India is baulking at.
Impressed with Indian sea power evident during joint patrolling and exercises with foreign navies, and the robustness of its escort service to special ships in the Indian Ocean, Japan wants its own forces trained here to preempt attacks from North Korea and Islamic extremists perceiving it a US ally in the war against terror.
Japan feels its cities, ports and ships in the deep sea are vulnerable to such attacks, but while India is comfortable with training its forces, it is not ready to provide facilities to foreign navies in the Indian Ocean.
