Japan and India Joint Maritime Drills Amid Concerns on CCP

Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) said on Tuesday that with the Chinese Communist Party – CCP’s increasingly tough stance in the Indo-Pacific, it has been conducting drills along with the Indian Navy in waters off the east coast of South Asian countries.

MSDF’s helicopter carrier Izumo and destroyer Takanami joined the one-week drill that began on Sunday. The drill area extended from Andaman Sea to the strategically important Bay of Bengal and India’s destroyer Ranvijay and frigate Sahyadri also participated.

Last Thursday before the drill started, Japan and India held “two-plus-two” security talks in Tokyo, during which the foreign and defense ministers agreed to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation including joint exercises. The two countries also agreed to hold their first joint fighter drill.

On Tuesday, Adm. Ryo Sakai, chief of staff of the MSDF, said at a press conference that the drills would “contribute greatly to the realization of a free and open Indo-Pacific,” he also vowed to “continue efforts to strengthen cooperation between Japan and India.”

India has also sent aircraft to the training, which will continue until Saturday.

Anti-submarines and anti-aircraft exercises, as well as shooting drill all belong to the ongoing training, according to the MSDF.