Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi on Thursday issued a joint statement in New Delhi announcing that India and Japan will explore joint development in naval shipbuilding and design — combining Japan's technological expertise with India's production capabilities under the 'Make in India' framework. The two ministers also signed a Memorandum of Arrangement (MoA) on maritime security cooperation between the two nations' defence ministries.

What the Agreement Covers

The joint statement outlined a broad framework for maritime cooperation, including information sharing in the field of Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), enhanced collaboration in Search and Rescue (SAR) operations, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR). The two sides also discussed reciprocal provision of ship repair facilities, with a formal ship repair arrangement expected to be concluded in the near future.

Both ministers emphasised the need to protect sea lines of communication through mutual naval ship visits, joint exercises, personnel exchanges, Subject Matter Expert (SME) exchanges, and logistical support — including use of ports and maintenance facilities. They also agreed to maximise synergies to enhance mine countermeasures capabilities.

India's Shipbuilding Ambitions

The agreement comes at a critical juncture for India's shipbuilding sector. India has set an ambitious target of building 5 per cent of the world's fleet by 2035 and entering the ranks of the top five shipbuilding nations by 2047. New shipyards are currently being planned to support this push.

Japan, which holds a nearly 11 per cent share of global shipbuilding output, ranks third among shipbuilding nations worldwide. A partnership with Tokyo, therefore, offers India access to advanced design and engineering capabilities that could accelerate its own industry targets.

Bilateral Exercises Get a Boost

The two ministers welcomed the expansion of bilateral defence exercises, specifically citing the Japan-India Army exercise 'Dharma Guardian' and the Japan-India Maritime Exercise 'JAIMEX'. Notably, they highlighted steady progress on the Japan-India Air Force exercise 'Veer Guardian 26', scheduled for this year, under which Japan Air Self-Defence Force fighter aircraft will, for the first time, visit India and participate in the exercise.

Both sides agreed to further deepen cooperation through enhanced complexities in joint exercises, integration of unmanned systems, and pursuing exercises at short notice whenever opportunities arise.

Strategic Significance

The MoA and the broader discussions signal a meaningful deepening of the India-Japan defence partnership, which has grown steadily since the two countries elevated ties to a Special Strategic and Global Partnership. This comes amid shared concerns over maritime security in the Indo-Pacific, where both nations have a strategic stake in keeping sea lanes open and secure. Officials noted that such cooperation is vital not only bilaterally but also for the broader region and the international community.

Concrete steps under the maritime security framework are expected to move swiftly, with both sides expressing intent to realise cooperation that serves their respective strategic and operational needs.