India, Japan sign agreement to deepen maritime security ties

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi signed a memorandum of understanding in Delhi to strengthen maritime security ties between India and Japan. The agreement, reached during talks, aims to enhance cooperation in areas such as maritime domain awareness, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief.

The two ministers also agreed to deepen access to ship-repair facilities, with a formal arrangement expected soon. Additionally, they established a working group to boost cooperation in various areas, including operations, intelligence, equipment, technology, and industrial cooperation. The statement highlighted the importance of sharing assessments of the regional and international security environment in a world facing growing uncertainty and China's influence.

India and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific order, emphasizing the peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue and international laws. The ministers expressed opposition to unilateral actions that threaten freedom and safety of navigation and overflight, as well as attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion.

They also agreed to strengthen bilateral coordination for protecting sea lines of communication through mutual visits, joint exercises, personnel exchanges, and logistics support. This is a significant milestone for Indo-Pacific stability, as the two leaders exchanged views on strengthening maritime security cooperation, promoting defence technology cooperation, and expanding strategic trust.