India and Japan Sign Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation

21 August 2026National

India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Arrangement (MoA) on Maritime Security Cooperation on 20 August 2026, during bilateral talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in New Delhi. The arrangement enhances operational cooperation between the Indian Navy and Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force across maritime domain awareness, information sharing, search and rescue, disaster relief, naval exercises, ship repair and logistics support. The two ministers reaffirmed commitment to a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific under the "Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership," and agreed to promote exchanges between their Special Operations Forces and explore cooperation with India's integrated theatre commands, alongside deeper defence-technology collaboration through the Defence Industry Forum.

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Japan's Self-Defense Forces have three wings: Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Force | The Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership was established in 2014 | India-Japan '2+2' dialogue involves the Foreign and Defence Ministers of both countries

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