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India, Japan reaffirm vow for deeper defence ties, Indo-Pacific stability
New Delhi, Aug 20 (IANS) India and Japan on Monday reaffirmed their commitment for greater bilateral defence cooperation and ensuring a peaceful and stable Indo-Pacific region at the annual defence ministerial meeting here.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held talks with her Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera who is on a two-day visit to India at the invitation of the Indian Defence Minister, and reaffirmed the commitment to further strengthen defence and security cooperation under the “Japan-lndia Special Strategic and Global Partnership”.
Sitharaman will be visiting Japan next year for the next edition of the meeting.
“The Ministers recognised that the peace and stability of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean are crucial for ensuring the peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region, and had a frank exchange of views on the current security situation in the Indo-Pacific region, including developments in the Korean Peninsula,” an official communique said at the conclusion of the meeting.
It said the Ministers agreed that both sides will seek to realise the 7th Defence Vice Minister/ Secretary-level Defence Policy Dialogue and the 6th Vice Minister/ Secretary-level “2+2” dialogue in Tokyo in 2019.
The Ministers also welcomed the progress made in preparing for the first-ever bilateral joint exercise in counter-terrorism between the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF) and the Indian Army to be held later this year.
The Ministers expressed satisfaction at the success of Japan-India-US trilateral maritime exercise “Malabar 2018” in June this year as well as the start of the constructive, trilateral discussion toward the next round of the exercise.
The two Defence Ministers underlined the need to continue bilateral joint exercises, including those in areas of anti-submarine warfare and mine-countermeasures.
Following the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) helicopter crews’ visit to India’s Sarsawa Air Force Station in December last year, the two sides affirmed JASDF’s participation as observers in the next round of Exercise Cope India “to add further momentum to air-to-air exchanges”.
The Ministers welcomed the regular exchange of students between the defence educational and research institutions of the two countries, including the National Defence College of India, and the National Institute of Defence Studies of Japan, and reaffirmed that they would be continued.
It said the constructive engagement between the Acquisition, Technology and Logistical Agency (ATLA) of Japan and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has resulted in the signing of a project arrangement between the two countries on cooperative research in the field of Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV)/ robotics, marking the start of the first bilateral cooperative project.
Sitharaman briefed Onodera on the setting up of two Defence Industry Corridors in India and invited participation of Japanese enterprises.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.