India-Japan Maritime Security Pact, About, Key Features

Why in the News?: Recently, the India-Japan Maritime Security Pact was signed as a Memorandum of Arrangement (MoA) to strengthen maritime security and defence cooperation between the two countries. The pact comes amid heightened regional security concerns and supports their shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

About India-Japan Maritime Security Pact

The India-Japan Maritime Security Pact is a Memorandum of Arrangement (MoA) signed by India and Japan to provide a structured framework for closer cooperation in maritime security and defence.

• The MoA was signed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi during the Japan-India Defence Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi.
• The arrangement forms part of the broader Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership, under which the two countries are strengthening their defence relationship.
• The pact reflects the growing strategic and maritime convergence between India and Japan amid heightened regional and international security concerns.

India-Japan Maritime Security Pact Key Features

The India-Japan Maritime Security Pact include maritime cooperation with naval operations, logistics, shipbuilding, defence technology and wider Indo-Pacific cooperation. Both countries reaffirmed that their defence cooperation should contribute to a free and open Indo-Pacific, with greater coordination on regional and international security developments.

Maritime Security and Maritime Operations

• Maritime Domain Awareness: India and Japan will strengthen information sharing on Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) to improve their understanding of developments in the maritime domain.
• Search and Rescue: Both sides will enhance cooperation in Search and Rescue (SAR) operations.
• Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief: The two countries will strengthen cooperation in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
• Protection of sea routes: India and Japan will strengthen coordination for protecting Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) through naval, logistical and operational cooperation.
• Mine countermeasures: Both sides will work to enhance mine-countermeasure capabilities according to their strategic and operational requirements.

Naval and Operational Cooperation

• Naval visits and exercises: Cooperation will include mutual visits by naval ships and units and joint exercises to strengthen operational coordination.
• Personnel and expert exchanges: India and Japan will promote exchanges of military personnel and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).
• Greater operational integration: Bilateral exercises will become more complex and integrated, including greater use of unmanned systems.
• Short-notice exercises: Both sides will explore the possibility of conducting joint exercises at short notice whenever opportunities arise.
• Special Operations Forces: India and Japan will promote exchanges between their respective Special Operations Forces.
• Integrated theatre commands: Japan will explore cooperation with India’s integrated theatre commands following their establishment.

Logistics, Ports and Ship Repair

• Port access: The two countries will strengthen logistical cooperation, including the use of ports.
• Maintenance and repair: Cooperation will extend to maintenance and repair facilities, supporting greater practical naval cooperation.
• Reciprocal ship repair: India and Japan will work towards reciprocal provision of ship-repair facilities and conclude a ship-repair arrangement in the near future.

Shipbuilding and Make in India

• Joint naval shipbuilding: The two countries will explore joint development in naval shipbuilding and design. The cooperation will leverage Japan’s technological expertise and India’s production capabilities.
• Defence shipbuilding: Both sides will seek to leverage each other’s strengths in defence shipbuilding and related areas.
• Make in India: Japan’s possible use of Indian production capabilities will be explored under the Make in India framework.

Defence Equipment and Technology

• Technology transfer: India and Japan will deepen cooperation in defence equipment and technology, following Japan’s recent review of its framework for defence equipment and technology transfers.
• UNICORN system: The shipborne UNICORN integrated communications antenna system has been identified as an important symbol of growing India–Japan defence technology cooperation.
  • UNICORN is the first defence equipment transfer project between India and Japan, and both sides will work towards its early realisation.
• Future defence projects: India and Japan will discuss additional defence equipment and technology projects based on the operational requirements of their respective armed forces.
• DRDO-ATLA cooperation: India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Japan’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) will deepen cooperation in state-of-the-art defence technologies.
• Defence Industry Forum: The two countries will convene a Defence Industry Forum to promote greater cooperation between their defence industries.

Indo-Pacific and Regional Cooperation

• Third-country cooperation: India and Japan will deepen cooperation with third countries through high-level exchanges, exercises and other initiatives.
  • Both sides welcomed the first trilateral naval PASSEX involving India, Japan and Indonesia, conducted in February.
• Indo-Pacific Logistics Network: India and Japan will further promote cooperation through the Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN) to support partner countries during natural disasters by transporting personnel and supplies.
  • The second Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN) tabletop exercise is scheduled to be held at the Japan Ministry of Defense in September.

Institutional Mechanism for Implementation

• Working Group: India and Japan will establish a Working Group headed at the Director-General/Joint Secretary level to coordinate implementation of the decisions taken by the two Defence Ministers.
  • The Working Group will cover operational, intelligence, equipment, technology and defence-industrial cooperation.]
  • It will maximise synergies and accelerate implementation of agreed initiatives while respecting the respective policies and sovereign choices of both countries.

Defence Dialogue and Strategic Coordination

• 2+2 dialogue: India and Japan will accelerate discussions towards convening the Fourth Japan-India Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting (2+2) in Tokyo this year.
• Security consultations: Both countries agreed to hold consultations when necessary to contribute to the security of both countries and peace and stability in the region.

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India-Japan Maritime Security Pact Significance

The pact deepens India-Japan defence ties by moving cooperation towards greater operational, technological, industrial and regional coordination.

For India

• Strengthens maritime security: Cooperation in Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), naval operations, Search and Rescue (SAR) and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) improves maritime coordination.
• Protects Sea Lines of Communication: Greater naval and logistical cooperation supports the protection of Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs).
• Boosts defence capabilities: Joint exercises, unmanned systems and Special Operations Forces exchanges enhance operational preparedness.
• Supports Make in India: Joint shipbuilding and greater use of Indian production capabilities strengthen domestic defence manufacturing.
• Improves defence technology: The shipborne UNICORN integrated communications antenna system and cooperation between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Japan’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) deepen India’s defence technology partnership with Japan.

For Japan

• Deepens strategic partnership: It gives greater practical depth to the Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
• Strengthens maritime cooperation: Closer engagement with the Indian Navy enhances Japan’s maritime security cooperation.
• Expands defence industry cooperation: Shipbuilding, technology transfer and the Defence Industry Forum create opportunities for greater industrial collaboration.
• Supports regional stability: Cooperation with India and other Indo-Pacific partners strengthens Japan’s contribution to regional peace and stability.

For the Indo-Pacific

• Supports a free and open Indo-Pacific: The pact strengthens cooperation between two countries committed to this objective.
• Promotes freedom of navigation: Both countries oppose actions threatening the freedom and safety of navigation and overflight.
• Builds regional partnerships: The India-Japan-Indonesia trilateral naval Passage Exercise (PASSEX) and cooperation with third countries expand maritime cooperation.
• Strengthens disaster response: The Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN) supports regional humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief cooperation.