India, Japan need to boost military tech collaboration

A decade-plus of efforts by India and Japan to co-develop and co-produce military equipment, so far, have only one programme on track, a communication system for naval warships. Two failed proposals – one on making submarines and another on a sea plane – have led to an impression of a ‘slow-paced’ collaboration, hindered by geo-politics and Tokyo’s reluctance on sharing military technology.

Japan holds cutting-edge technology in submarines, aero-engines, fighter jets, etc. India needs all these, and quickly. The Parliament of Japan lays down strict rules for technology transfer.

Excluding the defence sector, Japanese investment in India runs into billions of dollars in making cars, semi-conductors, steel plants, transport projects like bullet trains, Railways and Metro, among others.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba at Tokyo on August 29. A joint declaration followed. It said: “The defence equipment and technology cooperation mechanism will look at future security needs and plan for co-development and co-production of equipment and technology”.

First India-Japan project

Last year in November, India and Japan signed their maiden military co-development and co-production project to make specialised radio communication equipment used by naval warships. The equipment, called Unified Complex Radio Antenna or ‘Unicorn’, is a mast-shaped system that integrates all communication functions on a warship. Technically known as the ‘NORA-50 antenna,’ it is currently used by Japanese warships.

The equipment though, one of the best in its class, is not a big-ticket showpiece of technology.

Japanese restrictions

Japan’s defence export restrictions date back to 1967 when the ‘Three Principles on Arms Exports’ (known as the ‘Three Export Principles’) limit arms exports to certain countries. Japan loosened its decades-old self-imposed ban on defence exports in 2014, but technology is still tightly controlled.

In March 2024, Tokyo changed laws to export technology for the next-generation combat aircraft called Tempest, in which UK and Italy are partners.

Last year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar requested Japan to address regulatory challenges, particularly the constitutional restrictions on the export of lethal weapons under Japan’s pacifist constitution.

India can cite how in 1983, Japan allowed export of its missile-seeker technology to the US. Much closer in 2023, Tokyo agreed to send missiles to the US and the same year agreed to transfer an air defence system to the Philippines that faces a threat from China. The big difference of course is that Japan is part of the US nuclear umbrella — which makes all the difference.

India’s interest in an aero-engine

The two countries have been in talks for jointly making aero-engines for planes of various types. Japanese have an advanced aero-engine technology and New Delhi is keen to have a full spectrum of engine-making capability, including design, metallurgy and production.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh last month announced a joint production with French company Safran for making a brand new jet engine to power a futuristic fighter jet of the Indian Air Force. However, the scope for other engines exists as India’s needs grow.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is in contact with Japan’s research agency – Alta. The two have an agenda that is constantly being refreshed, and they remain engaged on it.

The two failed projects

Japan was among the countries India contacted, in 2015, for information about cooperating on its plans for six diesel submarines. Japan is “secretive” about its submarine technology, which is among the most sensitive for any government while India wanted

transfer of technology.

India was looking at the Japanese Soryu class submarine powered by Lithium-ion batteries, which allow for greater underwater endurance.

The other deal was for making in India the sea plane US-2 produced by Japanese ShinMaywa Industries. The Japanese firm, in 2018, even inked a pact with Mahindra Defence Systems for manufacturing and assembling of amphibious aircraft ShinMaywa US-2 in India. The deal did not go through.

ShinMaywa is a unique aircraft and the only ‘in-service’ open sea-capable amphibian aircraft with state-of the-art equipment suitable for rough sea operations.