India, Japan deepen maritime security cooperation amid regional tensions
India and Japan on Thursday agreed to expand cooperation in maritime security, naval shipbuilding, defence technology and intelligence as the two countries sought to strengthen their joint efforts for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The agreement was reached during talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi, with both sides opposing unilateral attempts to disrupt freedom of navigation and overflight or alter the status quo through force or coercion.
The two ministers also agreed to explore joint naval shipbuilding and design by combining Japan's technological capabilities with India's manufacturing capacity.
The discussions come against the backdrop of growing concerns in both countries over China's military activities in the South and East China Seas.
India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Arrangement (MoA) on maritime security cooperation, providing a framework for closer coordination between the Indian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
The arrangement covers areas including information sharing on maritime domain awareness and greater cooperation in search and rescue operations.
The two sides also agreed to work towards enhancing mine countermeasure capabilities and examine opportunities for joint development in naval shipbuilding and design.
"The two ministers concurred on the importance of sharing assessments of the regional and international security environment between the two countries at a time of heightened global tensions," the joint statement said.
"They expressed their strong opposition to any unilateral actions that impede freedom and safety of navigation and overflight, as well as to any attempts to change the status-quo by force or coercion," it said.
India and Japan further agreed to strengthen coordination to protect sea lines of communication through naval ship visits, joint exercises, exchanges of personnel and experts, and logistical cooperation, including access to ports and repair facilities.
The two ministers also discussed expanding cooperation between their special operations forces and pursuing engagement with India's integrated theatre commands after their establishment.
The two sides agreed to promote cooperation under the Indo-Pacific Logistics Network to assist partner countries during natural disasters.
They also discussed expanding defence cooperation with third countries through high-level exchanges, military exercises and other initiatives aimed at contributing to regional and global peace and stability.
Singh and Koizumi agreed that both countries should make greater use of their respective strengths in defence shipbuilding and related sectors. They also discussed Japan's potential use of India's manufacturing capabilities under the Make in India framework.
The two sides agreed to work towards reciprocal access to ship repair facilities and conclude a ship repair arrangement in the near future.
Singh welcomed Japan's recent review of its framework governing the transfer of defence equipment and technology and said he expected greater Japanese contribution to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
The ministers also discussed the shipborne UNICORN integrated communications antenna system, which is the first defence equipment transfer project between India and Japan.
"The two ministers concurred on establishing a working group, headed at the director-general/ joint secretary level to advance cooperation in an integrated manner across the operational, intelligence, equipment, technology and industrial domains, while fully respecting each country's respective policies and sovereign choices," the joint statement said.
"The working group will provide overall coordination for the directions of cooperation concurred upon by the two ministers, maximise synergies among the various areas of cooperation, and accelerate their implementation," it added.
(With inputs from PTI)