The Rajnath Singh Koizumi meeting in Cebu, Philippines, on Wednesday reviewed how far India Japan defence cooperation has moved since August and put both sides on course for a Foreign and Defence Ministerial (2+2) meeting in Tokyo later this year.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Japan's Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi met on the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus). According to the Ministry of Defence, the two Ministers welcomed the steady progress in bilateral defence cooperation since they last met in August, in line with the direction they had agreed on at that time.

Singh said the talks looked for new ways to take the relationship forward. "Had productive discussions on reviewing our ongoing bilateral defense cooperation and exploring new avenues to further strengthen the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership," he said in a post on X after the meeting. He added that the shared commitment of India and Japan remains vital for a free, open and peaceful Indo-Pacific region.



Rajnath Singh Koizumi meeting puts joint naval shipbuilding on the table

Maritime security led the list. The two sides have moved ahead in talks on concrete maritime security cooperation that serves the strategic and operational needs of both countries, the ministry said, including stronger mine countermeasure capabilities.

The bigger idea is shipbuilding. India and Japan are exploring the possibility of joint development in naval shipbuilding and design, pairing Japan's technological expertise with India's production capabilities. A visit to Japan by the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy helped move these discussions along, according to the ministry.

The groundwork was laid in New Delhi. During Koizumi's visit in August, the two Ministers signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation, covering information sharing on maritime domain awareness along with search and rescue and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Joint naval shipbuilding was discussed at that meeting too. Koizumi had also held talks with the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, at the Western Naval Command in Mumbai on the same trip.

Japanese fighters' first visit to India drives air force talks

The Ministers noted progress in discussions to strengthen cooperation between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).

These talks follow Exercise Veer Guardian 26, during which JASDF fighter aircraft came to India for the first time. The second edition of the bilateral air exercise ran at Air Force Station Jodhpur from 9 to 22 September. The IAF fielded the Tejas, the Su-30MKI and the Rafale, while Japan flew in its F-2A fighters from Tsuiki Air Base.

JASDF chief flew in a Tejas during his Jodhpur visit

The Chief of Staff of the JASDF, General Takehiro Morita, visited India alongside the exercise. On 20 September, he flew in a Tejas trainer as part of a formation led by Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, then Chief of the Air Staff, over Jodhpur.

Around 40 companies join India-Japan Defence Industry Forum in Tokyo

Industry was the third item. The Ministers welcomed the successful holding of the India-Japan Defence Industry Forum at the Embassy of India in Tokyo, where approximately 40 companies from both nations took part, the ministry said.

Tokyo to host the 2+2 and Defence Ministers' Meeting later this year

The Ministers agreed to speed up discussions on convening the 4th Japan-India Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting (2+2) and the Japan-India Defence Ministers' Meeting in Tokyo later this year.

The 2+2 format brings together the Foreign and Defence Ministers of both countries at one table. The third round was held in New Delhi in August 2024. Contact between the two defence establishments has been frequent this year, with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in Tokyo in July for the 8th India-Japan Defence Policy Dialogue, followed by Koizumi's New Delhi visit a month later.

The ADMM-Plus brings together the defence ministers of ASEAN member states and eight dialogue partners, including India, Japan and the United States. The Philippines is hosting the 13th edition in Cebu. The grouping first met in Hanoi in 2010, and India has taken part in every edition since.

Separately from the Rajnath Singh Koizumi meeting, the Defence Minister also held talks with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on the margins of the same meeting on Wednesday, marking one year of the India-US ten-year defence framework.