India and Japan sign accords to support US-2i deal

India and Japan have signed agreements to facilitate the long-pending export of Japan's ShinMaywa Industries US-2i amphibious search-and-rescue (SAR) aircraft to India.
During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tokyo on 12 December, the two countries signed accords related to the "transfer of defence equipment and technology" and the "protection of classified military information".
In a statement India's ministry of external affairs (MEA) said that through the two agreements, Modi and his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, reaffirmed their commitment to "deepen the bilateral defence relationship, including through two-way collaboration and technology co-operation, co-development, and co-production".
The MEA added that the two prime ministers expressed their "intention to explore potential future projects on defence equipment and technology co-operation such as US-2 amphibian aircraft".
In addition, the MEA said Japan and India were also committed to expanding bilateral collaboration in areas that include military exchanges and formalised dialogues between military and defence officials of the two countries.
Other areas of expanded collaboration outlined during Modi's visit include infrastructure development, civil nuclear energy, solar power generation, space, biotechnology, rare earths, and advanced materials.

janes