India, Japan commit to enhancing defence relations, co-developing tech

India and Japan on Friday announced that they will contribute to each other’s defence capabilities and military readiness, while separately opposing the move, by China, to change the maritime status quo in the South China Sea.

The two Quad partners also adopted a ‘Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation’ following a bilateral meeting between PM Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba at Tokyo on Friday.

The joint declaration stated that the two sides shall “strive to contribute to each other’s defence capabilities and readiness, by promoting interoperability and synergy between their defence forces”. A ‘Defence Equipment and Technology Cooperation’ mechanism will further look at future security needs and co-development and co-production of equipment and technology.

Japan is renowned for its advanced technologies in shipbuilding, aero-engines and submarines. 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 the 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 the Japanese warships.

Last year, EAM S Jaishankar had requested Japan to address regulatory challenges, particularly the constitutional restrictions on the export of lethal weapons under Japan’s pacifist constitution. Japan had loosened its decades-old self-imposed ban on defence exports in 2014, but its technology is still tightly controlled.

Today, the two nations announced technology-sharing in new fields that would effectively support the operational approach of both sides. This includes an expanded scope for R&D cooperation between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation and the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency of Japan (ATLA)

This aims at promoting joint R&D in tune with advances in technologies such as AI, robotics, quantum, semiconductor, autonomous technology, future networks, biotechnology and cybersecurity.

The two sides also agreed to increase the complexity and sophistication of bilateral exercises between their forces and have a tri-service exercises to prepare for humanitarian and disaster relief operations by their special operations units in the Indo-Pacific.

India and Japan will also be promoting utilisation of each other’s facilities for repair and maintenance of defence platforms. The Japanese are also looking to get their warships maintained in India, sources said.The frequency of visits by warships of each other’s countries will be increased in the coming years. Notably, the ‘Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation’ elaborated that India and Japan have an indispensable role in a free, open, peaceful, prosperous and coercion-free Indo-Pacific region that upholds rules-based international order.

India and Japan announced support for a peaceful settlement of disputes, freedom of navigation and overflight, and other lawful uses of the sea consistent with international law as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The two countries promised to provide maritime security and law enforcement assistance.