日印２プラス２、１１月末で調整＝ＡＣＳＡ締結へ協議

　日本、インド両政府は、両国間で初となる外務・防衛担当閣僚協議（２プラス２）を１１月末にインドで開催する方向で最終調整に入った。複数の日本政府関係者が３０日、明らかにした。自衛隊とインド軍で食料や弾薬を相互に融通する物品役務相互提供協定（ＡＣＳＡ）締結に向け、大詰めの協議を行う。両国はインド洋・太平洋への進出を活発化させる中国を念頭に、安全保障面での連携を強化させたい考えだ。
　日印２プラス２は、安倍晋三首相が提唱する「自由で開かれたインド太平洋」構想を推進する目的で、２０１８年１０月の首脳会談で設置が決まった。（2019/10/30-18:05）

Japan and India are planning to hold a meeting of their foreign and defense ministers at the end of November in India, Japanese government sources said Wednesday.
   At the so-called "two-plus-two" meeting, the first of its kind between the two countries, the Japanese and Indian governments intend to have final-stage talks toward concluding a bilateral acquisition and cross-servicing agreement to allow the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the Indian military to share food and ammunition, the sources said.
   The ministers are also expected to discuss heightening tensions over Iran, at a time when Japan is considering dispatching Maritime SDF vessels to the Middle East to secure navigation safety and India is deploying warships in the Gulf of Oman.
   In October 2018, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, agreed to set up the high-level dialogue channel with the aim of promoting the Abe-proposed initiative for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
   Hoping to boost security cooperation to check China's expansion into the region, Tokyo and New Delhi aim to give a final touch on the ACSA plan at the two-plus-two meeting so that Abe and Modi can sign the pact during Abe's visit to India slated for December.