India, Japan sign maritime pact to boost navy cooperation

India and Japan on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation in New Delhi. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi signed the pact, which provides a framework for deeper operational coordination between the Indian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. The agreement covers Maritime Domain Awareness, information sharing, search and rescue, disaster relief, naval ship visits, joint exercises, personnel exchanges and logistical support including port access and ship repair.

Times Now reports that the ministers agreed to work towards reciprocal provision of ship repair facilities, with a dedicated arrangement expected soon. They also agreed to explore joint naval shipbuilding and design under the Make in India framework, and to expand military engagement beyond the navy to include Special Operations Forces exchanges and cooperation with India's integrated theatre commands. The Hindu Business Line adds that Koizumi said Japan-India defence relations 'have not yet reached the level they should' and called for a rapid elevation of ties amid a complex security environment in the Indo-Pacific. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited India in July 2026, agreeing to deepen defence cooperation.