India, Japan to hold first bilateral naval exercise off Tokyo

Four Indian warships including the INS Rana, INS Shakti and INS Shivalik are in Tokyo harbour to commemorate 60 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between two countries and while coming from there, they will hold basic bilateral exercises with Japanese self-defence force, Navy officials said here.

The two-day-exercise will be held after the Indian warships start exiting Tokyo after a four-day port call.

Japan had in 2007 taken part in Malabar series of naval drills involving Indian and US warships in the Pacific Ocean.

The decision to hold the bilateral exercise was taken during the 6th India