Japan and India signed a maritime security cooperation memorandum on Thursday as defence ministers Shinjiro Koizumi and Rajnath Singh met in New Delhi to deepen military ties and counterbalance regional challenges.
The two sides agreed to expand joint exercises, including the first-ever participation of Japanese Air Self-Defense Force fighter jets in the upcoming Veer Guardian drill with the Indian Air Force, and to integrate unmanned systems into future exercises. They also agreed to accelerate negotiations on exporting Japan's UNICORN shipboard communication antenna system to India, while pledging cooperation on naval vessel design and co-development. Singh and Koizumi further discussed promoting special forces exchanges and establishing a joint theatre command in India.
Koizumi, who arrived in Mumbai on Wednesday and toured the Western Naval Command before travelling to the capital, thanked India for assistance during a recent medical emergency aboard a Japanese naval vessel. He told reporters that Japan and India bear increasingly significant responsibility for maintaining the international order. The talks follow over $10 billion in agreements signed during Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's visit to Delhi in July.