India, Japan to cooperate in Malacca Straits security
Dated 26/5/2006
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Tokyo: India and Japan Friday decided to enhance cooperation in the maritime security of the Malacca Straits and the Indian Ocean region by tackling trans-national crimes like piracy, human trafficking and smuggling of arms and drugs.
"We do feel that in order to ensure maritime security in the Indian Ocean and the Malacca Straits, cooperation between India and Japan will be helpful," Indian Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said at a news conference at the National Press Centre here on the second day of his four-day visit to Japan.
His remarks came after a meeting with Japanese Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kazuo Kitagawa.
During the meeting, the two countries agreed to cooperate in search and rescue operations and in the protection of the marine environment.
To this end, the two ministers announced concrete measures such as holding of annual Coast Guards' talks, regular exchange of visits, exchange of Coast Guard ship visits, holding of combined exercises for anti-piracy, search and rescue, disaster relief and other areas of mutual interest.
At the press conference, Mukherjee said a primary objective of defence cooperation between India and Japan is to ensure maritime security in the Indian Ocean region.
"The security environment has changed after 9/11.Cross-border terrorism has assumed much more importance in the context of security," he maintained.
"Also, the security of maritime trade, security of sea lanes which carry major energy sources and the growing concentration of lethal weapons in the hands of non-state actors require the collective intervention of the world community, who have interest in peace and stability of the world.
"Therefore, I do feel it is necessary to have defence cooperation among the peace loving countries all over the world including our region. Japan is an important collaborator of India in our economic and trade activities," Mukherjee added.
The minister answered questions covering a wide range of subjects.
Asked why India was modernising its defence forces in a big way, Mukherjee said "our defence policy is entirely oriented towards self-preservation and self-protection".
Even as the modernisation process was underway, India's defence spending was well below three percent of total GDP, he pointed out.
Mukherjee strongly defended the India-US civilian nuclear deal, saying "we require energy to ensure our rapid development. India presently has a growth rate of eight percent.
"We must sustain growth at the level of eight-10 percent for a number of years and for that we require energy. That is the rationale of our entering into an arrangement with the United States. I do hope the US Congress will ratify the arrangement, after which the Nuclear Suppliers Group will also recognise and help India gain access to technology, material and equipment," he added.
Speaking about non-proliferation, he said that while India had not signed the NPT, it had voluntarily accepted most of its obligations under NPT by declaring a ban on further testing, both horizontally and vertically.
On his visit to China beginning Sunday, he said: "We will exchange views about our respective perceptions on different issues concerning our mutual interest.
"We have established a regular mechanism through the institution of special envoys appointed by both countries who are discussing the unresolved border issues. They are meeting regularly and exchanging views. Those talks are going on satisfactorily," he said.
"We firmly believe that as we have to live with our neighbours, it is desirable that we should live in peace. Our entire policy is directed towards that. We try to resolve outstanding issues through dialogue, debate and discussions," he added.
On Pakistan, Mukherjee said although all outstanding issues between the two countries had not been resolved, there have been certain positive developments.
"We are engaged in a constructive composite dialogue with Pakistan...The ceasefire is continuing on the border since November 2003 and both sides in their bilateral talks have reaffirmed the continuation of the ceasefire. We have also been able to build up people-to-people contacts on both sides of the border", he said.
Mukherjee also visited the Nippon Electronic Corporation (NEC) factory at Fuchu near here Tokyo. With an annual turnover of $45 billion, NEC is one of the leading suppliers of electronic devices and equipment to the Japan Defence Agency.
The delegation members were taken on a guided tour during which they were shown a mobile three-dimensional radar in which the antennae is rotated electronically. It has a ground-to-air communication system and can be integrated with an airborne warning and control system (AWACS).
During the day, Mukherjee called on Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe and Minister for Foreign Affairs Taro Aso and discussed regional and global issues.
