joint naval exercises

The navies of India and Japan will hold their first-ever joint naval exercises soon, Foreign Minister Pranab Mukerjee announced .He, however, emphasised that the purpose of such a step was "not for aggression.""I am particularly happy to note that the first Joint Goodwill Exercise between the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force and the Indian Navy will also take place very shortly," Mukherjee said at the prestigious Japan Institute of International Affairs."Our cooperation in ensuring the safety and security of sea lanes of communication, combating piracy and terrorism, search and rescue, and disaster relief must define our shared desire to contribute to Asian economic growth and security," he said.