The visit of the four ships of the Indian Navy from June 5 is part of the “scheduled overseas deployment” according to the Indian Defence Ministry. The scheduled joint exercise will be conducted off the coast of Japan on June 9-10.
Both Navies will also conduct routine passage exercises (PASSEX) during the visit of Japanese ships to Indian ports this year.
Panetta will be visiting India on June 6 and observers believe that his visit will firm up and give new shape to the India-US-Japan trilateral launched in December last year.
The first meeting of India-US-Japan trilateral took place in Washington in December 20, 2011. It was then decided that the next meeting of the trilateral would take place in Tokyo in 2012.
Panetta’s visit and the first India-Japan joint naval exercise can, therefore, be viewed as a preparatory stage for the second India-US-Japan trilateral in Tokyo.
According to sources, Panetta will discuss with the Indian Defence Minister, AK Antony on the ongoing defence co-operation and regional security situation, apart from discussions on the trilateral.
He will also call on the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and hold discussions with the National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon. Panetta is likely to discuss situation in Afghanistan after NATO troops pullout in 2014 and Iran’s “nuclear ambition” with the Indian Prime Minister.
Panetta will lay a wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti and will be presented a Tri-Services Guard of Honour at South Block, the office of the Indian Defence Minister. Antony will also host a dinner in honour of the visiting dignitary.
The conduct of bilateral naval exercises between India and Japan was decided during the visit of the Indian Defence Minister AK Antony to Japan in November, 2011.
The engagement between the Navies of India and Japan is part of the overall defence cooperation between both countries. Defence exchanges between India and Japan presently comprise annual Defence Minister level meetings, Defence Policy dialogue at Defence Secretary level and Army and Naval Staff Talks.
US believes its joint engagement with India and Japan is necessary in the Asia-Pacific region. Attempts were made also to take Australia on board, but the latter hesitated apprehending that it would annoy China, a potential power in the region. However, the India-US-China trilateral had made clear that their dialogue was not against China.
At the first India-US-Japan trilateral meeting the US Secretary of State, Hillary R Clinton had agreed with the Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba to initiate China-US-Japan trilateral on similar lines.
The first India-US-Japan trilateral exchanged views on a wide range of regional and global issues of mutual interest. These discussions marked the beginning of a series of consultations among the three governments, who share common values and interests across the Asia-Pacific and the globe.
"All sides welcomed the frank and comprehensive nature of the discussions, and agreed the talks help advance their shared values and interests," a press release issued after the first India-US-Japan trilateral said.
The idea of India-US-Japan trilateral was initially mooted by Tokyo and finalised during then Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao's visit to Japan in April 2010, This is also part of New Delhi's effort to go beyond the stated Look East policy and engage North Asia as well.
The trilateral has been in the making for a long time, but the first meeting came at a time when China is becoming increasingly assertive in East Asia and the US is seeking to ramp up its engagement with the Asia-Pacific region that includes some of the fast-growing economies in the world.
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