Japan To Provide Defence Equipment To Thailand, 7 Other Nations
TOKYO, June 21 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- Japan plans to supply defence equipment to Thailand, Tonga and six other nations in the current fiscal year as security aid, a government source said Friday, in bid to ensure safe sea lanes in the Indo-Pacific region where China is evolving its military posture.
According to Kyodo news agency the eight countries -- also including East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Sri Lanka -- are expected to be designated as the recipients of Japan's "official security assistance" (OSA) framework, designed for like-minded partners, for fiscal 2025 from April, the source said.
The government is considering providing them Japanese-made drones to help in their natural disaster relief and maritime surveillance missions, according to the source.
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