India, Japan to further crank up defence ties

With an eye firmly on China, India and Japan on Monday decided to "further consolidate and strengthen their strategic and global partnership" in the defence arena through measures ranging from regular joint combat exercises and military exchanges to cooperation in anti-piracy, maritime security and counter-terrorism. This came during the meeting between defence minister A K Antony and his Japanese counterpart Itsunori Onodera, who is on a visit here till January 8. "The two ministers extensively and frankly exchanged id…