India, Japan sign maritime security pact to deepen defence ties

India and Japan signed a maritime security agreement on Thursday in New Delhi to strengthen coordination between their navies and deepen defence cooperation across the Indo-Pacific. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi signed the Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation, which provides for information sharing, joint exercises, and logistical support to protect vital sea lines of communication.

The joint statement stressed the need to preserve freedom of navigation and opposed attempts to alter the regional status quo through force or coercion, in remarks widely seen as referencing China's military posture in regional waters. The New Indian Express reported that both sides expressed strong opposition to unilateral actions that could undermine maritime security. Nikkei Asia noted the pact also seeks to bolster anti-mine capabilities and expand research and development collaboration on state-of-the-art defence technologies.

The two ministers also discussed joint development in naval shipbuilding and design, combining Japan's technological expertise with India's Make in India initiative. They agreed to explore reciprocal arrangements for ship repairs and the use of maintenance facilities. The pact is the latest step in the growing defence partnership between the two Quad members.