India and Japan Prepare Next Phase of Defence and Maritime Cooperation

India and Japan are preparing to push their defence partnership into a more operational and industrial phase, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh signalling that he expects bilateral cooperation to deepen further during his next visit to Japan.

Singh made the remarks on September 4 while responding to greetings from Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, whose message had been conveyed through visiting Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken. Singh said he looked forward to further strengthening the two countries’ “deep-rooted partnership” during his next visit to Japan.

The exchange comes only two weeks after Singh and Koizumi held extensive defence talks in New Delhi on August 20, when the two sides agreed on a series of measures intended to convert the India-Japan strategic partnership into closer operational cooperation between their armed forces.

A central outcome was the signing of a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation. The framework calls for stronger cooperation between the Indian Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force in Maritime Domain Awareness, information sharing, Search and Rescue, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.

India and Japan also agreed to expand practical naval cooperation through ship visits, joint exercises, personnel exchanges and logistical support, including greater use of ports and maintenance and repair facilities. The two sides intend to work toward reciprocal arrangements allowing naval vessels to access ship-repair infrastructure in both countries.

Another important area is defence industrial cooperation. Singh and Koizumi agreed to explore the possibility of joint development in naval shipbuilding and design, combining Japanese technological capabilities with India’s growing shipbuilding and manufacturing base. Koizumi described the concept as “Design with Japan, Make in India.”

The discussions also covered mine-countermeasure capabilities, with the two countries examining equipment cooperation that could strengthen the Indian Navy’s ability to detect and neutralise naval mines. They further agreed to deepen cooperation between their defence technology authorities on advanced research and development.

The UNICORN shipborne integrated communications antenna system remains an important test case for this emerging industrial relationship. Both governments regard it as the first major defence-equipment transfer project between India and Japan and have committed themselves to moving the programme toward implementation.

Military exercises are also being expanded. India and Japan already conduct the Army exercise Dharma Guardian and the naval exercise JAIMEX, while the upcoming Veer Guardian 26 air exercise will see Japan Air Self-Defense Force fighter aircraft visit India for the first time to participate in a bilateral air exercise. Future exercises are expected to incorporate greater complexity and increased use of unmanned systems.

The two countries are also considering deeper interaction between their Special Operations Forces and future cooperation with India’s integrated theatre commands once those structures are established. These measures indicate that the relationship is moving beyond routine training exchanges toward greater interoperability between the services.

To coordinate this expanding agenda, India and Japan agreed to establish a Director-General/Joint Secretary-level working group covering operational cooperation, intelligence, defence equipment, technology and industrial collaboration. They have also agreed to accelerate preparations for the fourth India-Japan Foreign and Defence Ministerial 2+2 meeting in Tokyo during 2026.

Rajnath Singh’s latest remarks therefore point to more than another high-level visit. The institutional framework for the next stage of India-Japan defence relations is already being assembled, spanning naval operations, advanced technology, shipbuilding, equipment transfers and increasingly complex military exercises.

The next visit to Japan could provide an opportunity to convert several of these initiatives into specific projects, particularly in maritime security, naval construction, ship repair and defence technology. As both countries place greater emphasis on a free and open Indo-Pacific, their defence relationship is steadily developing from strategic dialogue into a more practical military and industrial partnership.