In what PM Narendra modi and its outgoing counterpart Shinzo Abe described as a development that will increase peace and security in the Indo-Pacific, India and Japan signed the long-awaited Agreement for the Reciprocal Supply of Supplies and Services between the Indian Armed Forces and the Japan Self-Defense Forces.
Also known as ACSA (Cross Acquisition and Services Agreement), the agreement is expected to facilitate the “fast and seamless” supply of supplies and promote closer cooperation between the armed forces of India and Japan, two countries embroiled in border disputes. with an aggressive China.
ACSA, among other things, will facilitate the visits of ships or aircraft of the forces of any country to facilities in the territory of the other country. The agreement was followed, as Japan described it, by a telephone conversation at the summit between Modi and Abe.
The 2 leaders agreed that ACSA will deepen defense cooperation between the 2 countries, even as speculation mounts on how Abe’s departure could affect Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy that seamlessly merged with the Policy itself. of the East India Law.
However, both leaders expressed confidence that the India-Japan partnership will continue “without ceasing.”
Modi and Abe got along very well, especially because of their mutual annual summits. Actually, ACSA was supposed to be signed at a physical summit this year, but that was canceled by Abe’s sudden decision to resign for health and Covid-19 reasons. The 2019 summit was also unable to take place due to protests against the CAA in Assam.
Abe began his conversation with Modi on Thursday by explaining why he was resigning and expressing his gratitude for the friendship and “trusting relationship” built with Modi. Modi also thanked Abe for taking the bilateral relationship to another level and invited him and his wife to visit India on their own. They remembered their remembered their meetings in Varanasi, Sabarmati, Kobe and Kyoto and also Modi’s visit to Abe’s ancestral home in Yamanashi.
“Both Prime Ministers stated that the basic Japan-India policy-emphasis remains unchanged, and agreed with each other that the two countries continue to work closely in areas such as security, economy and economic cooperation, including the high-speed rail project. , “the Japanese foreign ministry said in a statement.
The leaders reviewed the status of ongoing bilateral cooperation, including the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project (MAHSR), within the framework of the India-Japan Global and Special Strategic Partnership.
“They agreed that the strong and lasting partnership between the two countries will play a critical role in charting the course of the global community in the post-COVID world,” MEA said in a statement.
Japan, in fact, is a country that has been eager to move forward with projects in India even as Covid-19 cases increase here.
Modi and Abe also expressed appreciation for the support provided to citizens residing in each other’s countries during the pandemic and agreed that such efforts should continue to maintain the strong people-to-people ties between the two countries, the Indian government said.
Modi conveyed his intention to work closely with Japan’s new government and wished Abe the best for the future, according to MEA.
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