India–Japan Defense Cooperation
Prelims:
International
Relations
Mains:
GS Paper II –
International Relations, Bilateral agreements, GS Paper III – Security
Current relevance:
The
Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh, and Japan’s Minister of Defense,
Shinjiro Koizumi, held the Japan–India Defence Ministers’ Meeting in New
Delhi on 20 August 2026.
Highlights:
Maritime & Operational Cooperation:
1.
India and Japan reaffirmed their commitment towards a free and open
Indo-Pacific and opposed unilateral actions that impede the freedom and
safety of navigation and overflight or seek to change the status quo
through force or coercion.
2.
The two countries signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime
Security Cooperation, providing a framework for deeper maritime
cooperation.
3.
Cooperation between the Indian Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense
Force will cover:
i.
Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and information sharing.
ii.
Search and Rescue (SAR).
iii.
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).
4.
Both sides agreed to strengthen protection of Sea Lines of
Communications (SLOCs) through naval visits, joint exercises, personnel and
expert exchanges and logistical support, including the use of ports,
maintenance and repair facilities.
5.
They also agreed to enhance mine countermeasure capabilities and
progress towards reciprocal provision of ship repair facilities.
Defence Exercises & Service-to-Service
Cooperation:
1.
The Ministers welcomed the expansion of bilateral exercises,
particularly:
i.
Dharma Guardian – Japan–India Army exercise.
ii.
JAIMEX – Japan–India Maritime Exercise.
iii.
Veer Guardian 26 – Japan–India Air Force exercise scheduled for 2026.
2.
Under Veer Guardian 26, Japan Air Self-Defence Force fighter
aircraft will visit India for the first time to participate in the
exercise.
3.
Future exercises are expected to involve greater complexity,
integration of unmanned systems and short-notice joint exercises.
4.
The two sides also agreed to promote exchanges between their Special
Operations Forces and pursue cooperation with India’s integrated theatre
commands following their establishment.
5.
India and Japan welcomed the first trilateral naval PASSEX
involving India, Japan and Indonesia, conducted in February 2026.
Defence Technology, Industry & Make in
India:
1.
India
and Japan agreed to explore joint development in naval shipbuilding and
design, combining Japan’s technological expertise with India’s
production capabilities.
2.
The
shipborne UNICORN integrated communications antenna system was
identified as the first defence equipment transfer project between India
and Japan.
3.
DRDO
and Japan’s ATLA will
deepen R&D cooperation in state-of-the-art defence technologies.
4.
The
two countries also intend to convene a Defence Industry Forum.
Institutional & Indo-Pacific
Cooperation:
1.
India and Japan agreed to strengthen cooperation with third countries
through high-level exchanges, exercises and other initiatives for peace and
stability in the Indo-Pacific.
2.
Cooperation under the Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN) will
support partner countries during natural disasters by facilitating the
transportation of personnel and supplies.
3.
The second IPLN tabletop exercise is scheduled to be held at
Japan’s Ministry of Defense in September 2026.
4.
Both sides agreed to accelerate discussions for the Fourth
Japan–India Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting (“2+2”) in Tokyo in
2026.
5.
A Director-General/Joint Secretary-level Working Group will be
established to coordinate cooperation across operational, intelligence,
equipment, technology and industrial domains.
Source: PIB - https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2301459®=48&lang=2