'India-Japan summit to take place from December 15-17'

The annual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will take place between December 15 and 17, the External Affairs Ministry said on Friday.

Though the ministry has not announced the venue for the summit, it is learnt that Guwahati will host it and Abe may make a short trip to Manipur as well.

"The India-Japan summit will take place from December 15 to 17," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a press conference.

Last year, Japan hosted the summit in picturesque Yamanashi prefecture during which both sides had resolved to significantly expand bilateral cooperation in a range of areas.

Sources said Modi and Abe will deliberate on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual concerns which will include exploring ways to deepen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, boosting trade and defence ties and exploring ways to carry out projects in Africa.

Reflecting growing congruence in bilateral ties, the two countries held their inaugural foreign and defence ministerial dialogue here last week.

In the talks, both sides voiced serious concern over the threat posed to regional peace and security by terror networks operating from Pakistan and asked it to take "resolute and irreversible" action to contain terrorism.

The two countries, under the new framework of two-plus-two dialogue, discussed a raft of strategic issues including the latest developments in the disputed South China Sea, evolving security scenario in the Indo-Pacific region and ways to boost bilateral cooperation in co-development of military hardware.

The Indo-Japan defence and foreign ministerial dialogue took place following a decision taken by Modi and Abe during last year's annual summit.