INTERVIEW: Indian Institute Head Hails Japan's Lifting of Arms Export Ban

New Delhi, July 2 (Jiji Press)--The head of an Indian defense research institute in an interview has praised Japan's recent decision to lift its ban on arms exports, voicing hopes for the joint production of warships by and the promotion of defense equipment cooperation between the two nations.

"I greatly welcome it," said Sujan Chinoy, director-general of the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses, who served as Indian ambassador to Japan from 2015 to 2018. "It is something that is going to help Japan with regard to its future security and defense."

He noted that Japan, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office last October, has proposed providing Abukuma-class destroyers of the country's Maritime Self-Defense Force to the Philippines after their decommissioning while planning to export an upgraded version of the MSDF's Mogami-class frigate to Australia. "I believe (Japan has) been in touch with India with regard to the Mogami-class frigates."

Chinoy emphasized the need for Japan to diversify its defense equipment production sites to "trusted" partner countries, saying that "geographically small countries run a very big danger of trying to keep their front-line sophisticated military industrial complex limited to their own geography." Such production sites "can easily be targeted" if war breaks out, he said.

India is an ideal partner in this regard, Chinoy said. Japan could utilize warships and weapons made in the South Asian country, he said, calling such moves an "insurance policy" and "risk mitigation."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]