The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Tokyo

Japan and India agreed on Wednesday to expand defence cooperation but said the move, along with a push to boost economic ties, was not aimed at counterbalancing China.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on a three-day visit to Tokyo, also said he hoped to strengthen cooperation in nuclear energy with Japan after his country signed a civil nuclear technology deal with the United States earlier this month.

"Economic partnership and security cooperation between India and Japan are not at the cost of any third country, least upon China," Singh told a joint news conference with his Japanese counterpart, Taro Aso.

"I sincerely believe that there is no competition between India and China. The world offers enormous hope for both our countries to realise their development ambitions." In a joint statement, both sides agreed on a framework to strengthen security ties, with cooperation to include exchanging information on regional affairs, fighting terrorism and managing disasters. Specific measures would be worked out at an early date.

India and Japan carried out military exercises last year along with Australia and the United States, and Tokyo has been eager to boost diplomatic ties with democracies in the region in a move some analysts see as aiming to isolate China.

Japan signed a ground-breaking defence pact with Australia last year, the first such agreement with a country other than the United States.