Tokyo (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday met with his Japanese counterpart Yasukazu Hamada and said the bilateral special strategic and global partnership between the two countries plays a crucial role in ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region.

Singh, who is on the last leg of his five-day visit to Mongolia and Japan, met Japan's Minister of Defence Hamada here.

"Reviewed various aspects of bilateral defence cooperation and regional affairs during the bilateral meeting with Japan's Minister of Defence, Mr Yasukazu Hamada in Tokyo today. This year marks 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries," Singh tweeted.

"India and Japan pursue a Special Strategic and Global Partnership. India's defence partnership with Japan will play a crucial role in ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo Pacific region," he tweeted.

India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China's rising military manoeuvring in the region.

China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea.

In Japan, Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will join their Japanese counterparts at the '2+2' foreign and defence ministerial dialogue.

The 2+2' dialogue is taking place more than five months after Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited India for the annual India-Japan summit.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Thane (PTI): At least six people were injured, two of them seriously, when a speeding car driven by a doctor rammed into multiple parked vehicles in the Kalyan area of Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Thursday.

According to police officials, the driver of the four-wheeler suddenly lost control of the car, which then crashed into three to four vehicles parked along the roadside on Wednesday morning.

The car driver, identified as Dr Sanjay Bendale, has been detained by the Khadakpada police in connection with the accident, which left six people injured, they said.

"The impact of the crash was so severe that two-wheelers parked in the vicinity were heavily damaged. Local residents rushed to the spot to assist the victims and shifted them to a nearby hospital," an official said.

Of the injured, two sustained grievous wounds and are currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital, he said.

Police are investigating whether a technical failure or human error led to the crash, according to the official.

An offence has been registered against the doctor under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), he added.