Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, 20 August held talks with visiting Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in New Delhi, outlining opportunities for Japanese companies to partner with Indian firms and start-ups in the defence sector, particularly for co-development and co-production under the 'Make in India' initiative. The meeting underscored the growing strategic convergence between the two nations across maritime security and Indo-Pacific stability.

Key Developments from the Meeting

Prime Minister Modi recalled his detailed discussions with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during her visit to India for the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit in July 2026, and expressed appreciation for the steady momentum in bilateral defence collaboration. Modi emphasised that the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between India and Japan serves as an important anchor for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

'Pleased to receive Defence Minister of Japan Shinjiro Koizumi. Had an excellent conversation on deepening defence and security ties between India and Japan. Our Special Strategic and Global Partnership is an important anchor for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond,' Modi posted on X.

What the Prime Minister's Office Said

A statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) after the meeting noted that Modi specifically highlighted opportunities for Japan to partner with Indian companies and start-ups in the defence sector, with co-development and co-production as the primary areas of focus. Defence Minister Koizumi, in turn, briefed the Prime Minister on the progress in bilateral defence cooperation and reaffirmed Tokyo's continued commitment to deepening ties with New Delhi.

Singh-Koizumi Talks and Maritime Security Pact

Earlier in the day, Koizumi met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for wide-ranging talks. The two sides signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation, providing a formal framework for advancing bilateral cooperation in this critical domain. The arrangement specifically covers strengthened ties between the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Indian Navy, including information sharing under Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), as well as enhanced cooperation in Search and Rescue (SAR) and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).

Koizumi said after the meeting: 'When the meeting concluded, Minister of Defence Singh put his arm around me and expressed his delight, saying, "It was a very fruitful meeting." We were able to make a new start in accelerating Japan-India defence cooperation. Moving forward, I will devote all my efforts to turning today's discussions into concrete outcomes in order to further strengthen our personal trust relationship.'

Joint Opposition to Coercive Actions in the Indo-Pacific

In a joint statement issued after the Singh-Koizumi meeting, both sides stressed the importance of sharing assessments of the regional and international security environment amid heightened global tensions. They expressed strong opposition to any unilateral actions that impede freedom and safety of navigation and overflight, as well as any attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion — language widely seen as directed at assertive maritime behaviour in the region.

Both ministers also recalled the Japan-India Joint Statement of July 2026 and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening defence cooperation to realise a free and open Indo-Pacific. This comes amid a broader pattern of India deepening defence ties with like-minded Indo-Pacific partners, including the United States, Australia, and France, as strategic competition in the region intensifies.

What Comes Next

The signing of the maritime security arrangement and the explicit pitch for Japanese participation in India's defence industrial base signal a new phase in the bilateral relationship — one that moves beyond statements toward structural cooperation. Concrete outcomes from Koizumi's visit, including potential co-production agreements involving Indian start-ups, are expected to take shape in the months ahead.