India and Japan held the 8th India-Japan Defence Policy Dialogue in Tokyo on Monday, reviewing progress in bilateral defence cooperation and reaffirming their commitment to further strengthening the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
The Indian delegation was led by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, while the Japanese side was headed by Vice Minister of Defence for International Affairs Kano Koji.
During the dialogue, the two sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral defence engagements, including military-to-military exchanges, cooperation between the armed forces, maritime security, joint defence exercises, capacity building, defence equipment and technology collaboration, including maritime technologies, and institutional exchanges.
The discussions also covered the prevailing regional and global security environment, with both countries exchanging views on issues of mutual strategic interest.
India and Japan welcomed the steady expansion of defence cooperation and underlined the importance of maintaining regular high-level engagements and dialogue mechanisms. They also discussed the expected outcomes of forthcoming ministerial engagements, including the India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue scheduled for later this year.
The two sides explored opportunities to deepen cooperation in emerging domains such as defence industrial collaboration, technological innovation, cybersecurity, space and other strategic sectors.
Both countries expressed satisfaction over the growing convergence of their views on regional and global security issues and agreed to continue working closely to promote peace, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific. They reiterated their commitment to a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific, founded on respect for international law.
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh appreciated Japan’s continued engagement with India in the defence sector and highlighted the importance of enhancing practical cooperation under the framework of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Vice Minister Kano Koji reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to expanding defence ties with India across priority areas.
Earlier in the day, the Defence Secretary called on Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and conveyed greetings from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed the growing momentum in bilateral defence cooperation. Rajesh Kumar Singh also extended an invitation from Rajnath Singh to his Japanese counterpart to visit India at the earliest opportunity.
The Defence Secretary began his visit by laying a wreath at the Japan Self-Defense Forces Memorial Stone in Tokyo, paying tribute to members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces who made the supreme sacrifice in service of their nation.
