TOKYO -- Japan's first submarine powered by lithium-ion batteries was launched on Thursday, symbolizing domestic defense contractors' hopes that innovations can allow the industry to survive amid renewed pressure from Washington to procure more American military gear. 

While there’s little prospect that Japanese consumers will ever buy enough American cars to please Donald Trump, the Abe government’s record spending on defense is shaping up as a bright spot in bilateral trade for the U.S. president. 

NEW DELHI --- Japan and Spain have opted out of India's long-pending proposed project to build six advanced stealth submarines+ for an estimated Rs 70,000 crore ($10.9 billion) through a collaboration between a foreign ship-builder and an Indian shipyard. 
 

MUMBAI --- Six advanced submarines, to be built under Project 75(I) to scale up the Navy’s warfare capabilities, are set to get off the starters’ block, with the Navy issuing a Request for Information (RFI) to six foreign original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for the €8.3-billion submarine project.