Japan, India sign new projects

Japan and India agreed yesterday to upgrade diplomatic and military ties, with Tokyo also offering low-interest loans as the two countries seek closer ties to balance China’s weight in the region.

The plans were announced as India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi rounded out a three-day trip to Tokyo for talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, senior ministers, and local business leaders. “Strong relations between Japan and India are the foundation that will sustain the region,” Abe said in a joint press statement with Modi after talks in Tokyo.

He said the two sides would launch a new ministerial-level security dialogue and strengthen exchanges between army and naval forces, and he offered low-interest loans worth 316.4 billion yen ($2.8 billion).