New Delhi: India and Japan signed a comprehensive memorandum of arrangement on maritime cooperation on Thursday, aiming to create greater operational synergy between their naval forces and explore joint ventures in warship design and construction. The agreement was finalized during bilateral discussions held in New Delhi between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi.
The newly established framework between the Indian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force emphasizes information sharing on maritime domain awareness and bolsters joint search and rescue capabilities. Under the pact, both nations will strengthen coordination to protect critical sea lines of communication, grant mutual logistical support, and permit reciprocal access to port facilities for ship maintenance and repairs, with a formal ship repair agreement anticipated in the near future.
Both leaders committed to enhancing undersea mine countermeasures and leveraging Japanese technological know-how alongside Indian production capabilities to co-develop naval vessels. They reaffirmed their shared vision for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific, emphasizing strict adherence to freedom of navigation and overflight while opposing unilateral attempts to alter the regional status quo by force.
The bilateral dialogue also covered plans to introduce unmanned systems into military exercises, conduct joint drills involving Special Operations Forces, and stage the Indian Air Force’s inaugural air exercise in Japan later this year. Furthermore, both countries committed to accelerating the transfer of the UNICORN shipborne communication antenna system, deepening research ties between the Defence Research and Development Organisation and Japan’s Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency, and working toward hosting the fourth 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue in Tokyo later this year under the guidance of a newly formed joint working group.
