India-Japan Defence Ties Deepen: Rajnath Singh to Host Japanese Defence Minister in New Delhi

New Delhi, May 4, 2025 — In a significant move towards bolstering bilateral defence ties, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold a key meeting with his Japanese counterpart, Defence Minister Gen Nakatani, on May 5, 2025, in New Delhi. The two ministers are expected to exchange views on the prevailing regional and international security landscape and explore avenues for deepening defence cooperation between the two Indo-Pacific powers.

The meeting comes at a time of heightened strategic alignment between India and Japan, both of whom are integral players in ensuring stability, security, and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific Region. With evolving challenges from aggressive posturing in the South China Sea to emerging technological threats, both nations are seeking greater synergy in their security outlook and operational interoperability.

This will be the second meeting between the two defence leaders within a span of six months, following their maiden engagement on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Lao PDR in November 2024. The upcoming dialogue in New Delhi reflects a continuity of defence diplomacy and strategic trust.

India and Japan share a historical camaraderie, which took a strategic leap forward in 2014 when their relationship was elevated to the level of a "Special Strategic and Global Partnership." Since then, defence cooperation has become a cornerstone of bilateral engagement. The collaboration encompasses regular defence dialogues, military exercises like Dharma Guardian (Army), JIMEX (Navy), and Veer Guardian (Air Force), as well as defence technology cooperation and maritime security initiatives.

Key agenda items during the May 5 discussions are expected to include:

• Enhancing joint military exercises and staff talks.
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• Boosting cooperation in maritime domain awareness (MDA) and undersea warfare.
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• Collaboration in emerging domains such as cyber defence and space security.
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• Exchange programmes between defence institutions and think tanks.

The growing convergence between the two nations is largely attributed to their shared commitment to a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based Indo-Pacific. Both countries are Quad members and have aligned their strategic postures to counterbalance regional assertiveness while promoting peace and development.

As the world witnesses shifting geopolitical currents, this meeting marks a vital step in strengthening India-Japan defence ties, ensuring that both nations remain strong anchors of stability in the Indo-Pacific. The outcomes of this bilateral engagement could potentially pave the way for future defence pacts and enhanced technology sharing in the months to come.