India, Japan deepen defence ties on maritime security, shipbuilding and technology

NEW DELHI. India and Japan have agreed to significantly deepen defence cooperation across maritime security, military exercises, logistics, defence technology and industrial production.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his visiting counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi held wide-ranging talks, and signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation, providing a framework for closer coordination between the Indian Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, including information sharing on Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), search and rescue operations and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The agreement, signed on August 20, comes amid growing emphasis by both countries on specifically maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Singh and Koizumi reiterated their opposition to unilateral actions that restrict freedom and safety of navigation and overflight, as well as attempts to alter the status quo through force or coercion.

The ministers agreed to strengthen coordination to protect sea lines of communication through reciprocal naval visits, joint exercises, personnel and subject matter expert exchanges, as well as logistical support, including access to ports and maintenance and repair facilities.

They also discussed expanding cooperation in naval shipbuilding and design by combining Japan’s technological capabilities with India’s production capacity. The two sides agreed to explore ways to enhance mine-countermeasure capabilities and deepen discussions on the use of Indian production facilities under the ‘Make in India’ framework.

India and Japan also agreed to work towards reciprocal access to ship-repair facilities and conclude an arrangement in this regard in the near future.

Greater military interoperability

The two defence ministers welcomed the expansion of bilateral military exercises, including the Army exercise Dharma Guardian and the maritime exercise JAIMEX.

Particular importance was attached to the upcoming Veer Guardian 26 air exercise. Japanese Air Self-Defense Force fighter aircraft will visit India for the first time to participate in the exercise.

The two sides agreed to make their exercises more complex by incorporating unmanned systems and to explore opportunities for conducting joint exercises at short notice. They will also promote exchanges between their special operations forces and explore cooperation with India’s integrated theatre commands after their establishment.

Push for defence technology and industrial cooperation

The talks also highlighted the growing defence-technology dimension of the India-Japan relationship.

Singh welcomed Japan’s recent review of its framework governing the transfer of defence equipment and technology and expressed hope for greater Japanese contribution to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

The two ministers described the UNICORN shipborne integrated communications antenna system as an important symbol of the growing defence-equipment and technology partnership between the two countries. It is the first defence-equipment transfer project between India and Japan, and both sides agreed to work towards its early implementation.

The two countries will also explore additional defence-equipment and technology projects based on the operational requirements of their respective armed forces. Defence research cooperation between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Japan’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) will be expanded, particularly in advanced defence technologies.

The ministers also agreed to convene a Defence Industry Forum to promote greater interaction between the two countries’ defence industries.

Wider Indo-Pacific cooperation

India and Japan also agreed to expand defence cooperation with third countries. The ministers welcomed the first trilateral naval PASSEX involving India, Japan and Indonesia, held in February, and agreed to pursue further high-level exchanges, exercises and other initiatives with regional partners.

The two sides will also promote cooperation through the Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN), which is intended to help partner countries respond to natural disasters by facilitating the movement of personnel and supplies. A second IPLN tabletop exercise is scheduled to take place at Japan’s Ministry of Defence in September.

The ministers further agreed to accelerate discussions on convening the fourth India-Japan Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting, or 2+2 dialogue, in Tokyo later this year.

New mechanism for implementation

A new Working Group, headed at the director-general/joint secretary level, will be established to coordinate bilateral defence cooperation across operational, intelligence, equipment, technology and industrial domains.

The group is expected to bring together the various strands of cooperation and speed up implementation of decisions taken by the two defence ministers, while respecting the sovereign choices and policies of both countries.

The meeting followed Koizumi’s visit to the National War Memorial in New Delhi, where he paid tribute to India’s fallen soldiers. He also received a tri-service guard of honour. During his India visit, the Japanese Defence Minister also visited the Western Naval Command in Mumbai and the Indian Navy’s INS Chennai.

The latest agreements mark a broadening of the India-Japan defence partnership from military exercises and strategic dialogue towards deeper operational, technological, logistical and defence-industrial cooperation, reinforcing the two countries’ shared objective of contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

Koizumi’s meeting with Prime Minister

Following the meeting with Rajnath Singh, Koizumi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed ways to further strengthen defence and security cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting, Modi recalled his discussions with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during her visit to India for the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit in July. He welcomed the continued progress in bilateral defence cooperation and emphasised the importance of deepening security ties as part of the two countries’ Special Strategic and Global Partnership.

Modi said stronger defence and security cooperation between India and Japan would contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. He also highlighted opportunities for Japanese companies and startups to work with their Indian counterparts in the defence sector, particularly in the co-development and co-production of defence equipment under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Koizumi briefed the Prime Minister on the progress made in bilateral defence cooperation and reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to further strengthening its defence partnership with India.

8th India-Japan Defence Policy Dialogue

Koizumi’s visit to India came close on the heels of the 8th India-Japan Defence Policy Dialogue held in Tokyo on July13.

During that meeting, both sides reviewed the full spectrum of their growing defence partnership and agreed to further expand cooperation across traditional and emerging security domains.

The Indian delegation was led by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, while Japan was represented by Vice Minister of Defence for International Affairs Kano Koji. The two sides assessed the progress achieved since the previous dialogue and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership amid an evolving regional and global security environment.

During the discussions, both countries exchanged views on key regional and international security issues and reviewed ongoing defence engagements, including military-to-military exchanges, cooperation between joint headquarters, maritime security, bilateral and multilateral defence exercises, capacity building initiatives, defence equipment and technology collaboration, particularly in the maritime domain, and institutional interactions.

The two sides welcomed the steady expansion of bilateral defence cooperation and stressed the importance of sustaining regular high-level exchanges and dialogue mechanisms. They also discussed the agenda and expected outcomes of forthcoming ministerial engagements, including the India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue scheduled later this year.

Recognising the changing nature of security challenges, India and Japan explored avenues to deepen collaboration in emerging areas such as defence industrial cooperation, technological innovation, cyber security, space, and other strategic sectors. They noted the growing convergence in their approaches to regional and global security and reiterated their shared commitment to working together for a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific founded on respect for international law.

Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh appreciated Japan’s continued engagement with India in the defence sector and underscored the need to enhance practical cooperation under the framework of the Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Kano Koji reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to broadening defence ties with India across priority areas.