India, Japan deepen defence ties on maritime security, shipbuilding and technology
New Delhi, August 20. India and Japan on August 20 agreed to significantly deepen defence cooperation across maritime security, military exercises, logistics, defence technology and industrial production, as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi held bilateral talks in New Delhi.
The two ministers 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 comes amid growing emphasis by both countries on 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.
