What happened: India–Japan Defence Ministers’ meeting and signed maritime security framework

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met in New Delhi on 20 August 2026. The meeting outcomes were set out in a joint press statement and focused on maritime security cooperation, defence exercises, and defence technology partnership under the Japan–India Special Strategic and Global Partnership.

Maritime security cooperation: Memorandum of Arrangement and operational steps

The two Ministers affirmed a commitment to deepen maritime security cooperation and signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation between the Ministry of Defence of Japan and the Ministry of Defence of India. The Memorandum provides a framework for cooperation in maritime security and includes:

• Information sharing on Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA): cooperation between the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Indian Navy on maritime situational understanding.

• Search and Rescue (SAR): enhanced cooperation for rescue operations at sea.

Related current affairs