NEW DELHI - India and Japan have signed an agreement that will provide their militaries access to each other's bases for supplies and services, the Indian defence ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

The two countries have built close defence ties in recent years, which analysts say are part of efforts to counter the growing weight of China across the region.

"The agreement will also enhance the interoperability between the Armed Forces of India and Japan," the defence ministry statement said.

(Reporting by Sanjeev Miglani and Nigam Prusty; Editing by Alex Richardson) ((sanjeev.miglani@thomsonreuters.com; +91 11 49548038; Reuters Messaging: sanjeev.miglani@thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))