
India’s Defence Ministry will agree to buy 12 amphibious rescue aircraft from Japanese manufacturer ShinMaywa Industries worth $1.5 billion-$1.6 billion, Japanese newspaper the Nikkei reported on Sunday.
Since, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted a 50 year ban on arms exports, this would be one of the first sales of military equipments. Japan and India have been holding a talk on the purchase for more than two years.
A senior official told that the Defence Acquisition Council Meeting will be held on Monday and at that meting the Defence Ministry will approve the purchase of 12 US-2 aircraft.
The deal will be included in a memorandum of understanding during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan on November 11-12.
The paper also reported that during his visit Mr. Abe will ask him to expand the usage of Japan’s high-speed train technology.