India and Japan sign maritime security pact amid growing China challenge
Defence ministers Rajnath Singh and Shinjirō Koizumi agreed on a new maritime security memorandum during Koizumi's first visit to India.
In New Delhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hosted Japanese Defence Minister Shinjirō Koizumi for his inaugural trip to India, culminating in a Memorandum of Arrangement on maritime security cooperation. The pact creates a framework for naval information exchange, maritime domain awareness and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. It extends a network of agreements that have institutionalised defence exchanges since 2014, including joint wargames like MILAN and JAIMEX.
Officials also discussed collaborative shipbuilding under the Make in India scheme, reciprocal repair facilities, and joint development of technologies such as Japan's UNICORN antenna system. Further cooperation will involve the Defence Research and Development Organisation and Japan's Acquisition Technology and Logistics Agency, with a defence industry forum slated soon. The ministers aim to accelerate the upcoming fourth Japan-India foreign and defence ministerial meeting in Tokyo and expand the Indo-Pacific Logistics Network.
Why it matters
The agreement strengthens India-Japan defence ties, shaping security dynamics in the Indo-Pacific as China becomes more assertive.
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