INDIA and Japan on Thursday sealed a pact to bolster their maritime security ties and vowed to synergise military cooperation to realise a free and open IndoPacific, an assertion that came amid China’s increasing military muscle-flexing in the region. In their talks, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi expressed their strong opposition to any unilateral actions that impede freedom and safety of navigation and overflight, as well as attempts to change the status-quo by force or coercion. The remarks are seen as directed against China as both India and Japan are concerned over Beijing’s offensive military posturing in South and East China seas. A joint statement on SinghKoizumi said they affirmed their commitment, to further deepen defence cooperation to realise a free and open Indo-Pacific. “The two Ministers concurred on the importance of sharing assessments of the regional and international security environment between the two countries at a time of heightened global tensions,” it said. “They expressed their strong opposition to any unilateral actions that impede freedom and safety of navigation and overflight, as well as toany attempts to change the status-quo by force or coercion,” it noted without directly naming any country.

 

The two Defence Ministers signed the Memorandum of Arrangement (MoA) on maritime security cooperation that provides a framework for further advancing ties in the field of maritime security. Specifically, it includes the strengthening of cooperation between the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Indian Navy, including information sharing in the field of maritime domain awareness as well as enhanced cooperation in areas such as search and rescue. “The two Ministers affirmed that they would strengthen coordination between both sides for the protection of sea lines of communications through mutual visits by naval ships and units, joint exercises, personnel and subject matter expert exchanges and logistical support including use of ports, maintenance,” according to joint statement. MODI MEETS JAPANESE DEFENCE MINISTER:Defence Minister of Japan Shinjiro Koizumi called on PM Narendra Modi who outlined his vision for further strengthening the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between the two countries. Modi recalled his detailed discussions with Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi during her visit to India and appreciated the steady momentum in defence collaboration between the two countries.