India-Japan’s Big Defence Deal: Five Strategic Targets With One Powerful Move

New Delhi: India and Japan have given a new direction to their defence cooperation regarding maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region. During the meeting of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister of Japan Shinjiro Koizumi in New Delhi on 20 August 2026, both countries signed Memorandum of Arrangement (MoA) on Maritime Security Cooperation. The objective of this agreement is to strengthen maritime security, exchange of information and operational cooperation between the navies of the two countries.

This agreement has come at a time when both India and Japan have been expressing their concerns regarding maritime activities and security in the Indo-Pacific region. Although China is not named in the official document, both countries have opposed freedom of maritime navigation and attempts to change the regional status quo by force or pressure. 

What is the new Maritime Security Agreement between India and Japan?

Under the new agreement, a framework for cooperation between the Indian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force has been prepared. This includes sharing of information in the area of ​​Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA). Apart from this, cooperation will also be increased in Search and rescue, i.e., SAR, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, i.e., HADR.

Both countries will also share their experiences related to maritime security and assessment of regional security situations. It aims to better understand maritime activities in the Indo-Pacific region and enhance coordination between the two navies.

Will the navies of both countries use each other's ports?

The agreement calls for mutual visits of naval ships and units, joint military exercises and increased exchanges between military personnel. Along with this, work will also be carried forward on the use of ports and ship repair and maintenance facilities under logistics cooperation. 

This means that the navies of both countries will get an opportunity to benefit from each other's maritime facilities and technological capabilities. Both sides have also agreed to take forward mutual arrangements related to repair of ships.

Will this deal strengthen maritime domain awareness?

Maritime Domain Awareness is an important part of this agreement. Under this, the system for sharing information related to activities and security situations at sea will be strengthened. This can help both countries better understand the events and activities in the maritime domain. 

However, there is no mention in the official information available that under the agreement there is a provision for sharing the location of submarines of any particular country. Therefore calling it a submarine surveillance agreement directly against any one country would be a further interpretation than the available documentation.

Will India and Japan together build warships?

Both countries have also agreed to explore possibilities of joint development in the field of design and construction of naval ships. It talks about using Japan's technical expertise and India's production capacity. Emphasis has been laid on taking this cooperation forward under Make in India.

The two countries also discussed possible joint projects in strengthening mine countermeasures capability and in naval shipbuilding and design.

Will military exercises also become more robust?

India and Japan already conduct several joint military exercises. These include the Army's Dharma Guardian and the Navy's JAIMEX. Veer Guardian 26 air exercise also took place between the two countries in 2026, in which Japanese fighter planes took part in the exercise from Indian soil for the first time. 

The two defence ministers also agreed to make future military exercises more complex, include unmanned systems and increase cooperation between special forces. 

Is this agreement also related to China?

China has not been named in the official India-Japan statement. However, both countries have opposed freedom of navigation, maritime security and efforts to change the status quo through force or pressure in the Indo-Pacific.

Analysing in the regional context, this agreement has come at a time when India, Japan and other countries have been discussing China's increasing military and maritime activities in the Indo-Pacific. But to say that the agreement is aimed only at China is not directly stated in the official document.

How far has India-Japan defence partnership progressed?

Defense cooperation between India and Japan is no longer limited to joint military exercises only. Both countries are increasing cooperation in areas such as maritime security, logistics, information sharing, ship repair, defense technology and possible joint shipbuilding.

Under the agreement of August 20, both the countries have also agreed to form a Working Group. This group will work to advance cooperation in operational, intelligence, equipment, technology and industrial areas and coordinate between different initiatives. 

Thus, the new deal is an important step towards institutionalising maritime security cooperation between India and Japan. Its real strategic impact will depend on the implementation of joint exercises, information sharing, logistics cooperation and projects related to defence production in the times to come.