Japan, India Vow Cooperation on Indo-Pacific Strategy

Tokyo, March 29 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and his Indian counterpart, Sushma Swaraj, agreed Thursday to work together to make the Indo-Pacific region free and open. Meeting in Tokyo, Kono and Swaraj agreed to strengthen bilateral maritime security cooperation in an apparent effort to counter China's increasing influence in South Asia. Kono agreed to provide India with a total of 150 billion yen in low-interest loans to help finance four projects, including a program to construct a subway in Mumbai, western India. The ministers agreed to continue putting maximum pressure on North Korea to force it to give up its nuclear and missile development. END