During Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s recent visit to India, both countries agreed to boost security ties in the face of China’s growing assertiveness. This move is significant especially after China declared an air-defence identification zone in a disputed East China Sea area that overlaps with Japan’s zone and includes uninhabited islands that have been claimed by both nations. China’s move has been viewed as an attempt to unjustly infringe on the freedom of flight over the high seas by her and neighbouring states like Japan have been unnerved by this.
Both Japan and India, which have territorial disputes with China, are increasing ties as tensions escalate in Northeast Asia. Prior to the visit, Japan and India moved to expand ties and introduce exchange programmes between the Air Forces of Japan and India when the Japanese Minister of Defence Itsunori Onodera and his Indian counterpart AK Antony discussed the issue of dialogue between air force officials from the two sides.