From Bullet Trains To Bullets? India May Share Military Bases With Japan After US And France

In a bid to tighten security ties with India to balance China’s growing clout, Japan is reported to be negotiating a military logistics pact with India.

According to the reports, there could be some movement on this front when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Japan this weekend for an annual summit with his counterpart Shinzo Abe. The proposed Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement between the two militaries is on the agenda.

Bilateral relations have rapidly expanded, and the two countries conduct three-way naval exercises involving the United States in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific under the leadership of Modi and Abe.

“It is only natural for the two militaries to have a logistics-sharing agreement because of a large number of manoeuvres they were carrying out each year.”Japan’s ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu, was quoted as saying.

Military engagement between the two countries has been on the upward trajectory. For the first time, Japan will be an observer at the Cope India exercise in December between India-US air forces.

The Indian army will hold the first ground force exercise with its Japanese counterpart next month. The country is already part of the Malabar exercise between the Indian and US navies.