Indo-Japan defence pact revision hinges on Tokyo’s rules

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 21

Sixteen years after India and Japan made a “joint declaration on security cooperation”, the two countries have agreed to revise it to widen cooperation. New Delhi is hoping that Japan will find a way around its own rules restricting the sale of lethal weapons.

A joint statement after the “2+2” India-Japan dialogue on Wednesday night said the two sides intended to revise the 2008 “Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation” to address security challenges. Japan holds cutting-edge technology in making jet engines, submarines and has latest techniques of building warships.

Speaking after the “2+2” dialogue in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was candid: “Requested Japanese colleagues to look into the regulatory bottlenecks that currently exist.”

Japanese Defence Minister Minoru Kihara, Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were also present at the event. Jaishankar was referring to restrictions under Japan’s “implementation guidelines for three principles on transfer of defence, equipment and technology”, last amended in December 2023.

The guidelines limit exports to countries which have signed a ‘transfer agreement’ with Japan and prohibit exports to a country involved in a conflict. India, gets ruled out on both counts, said an official. Former Indian Naval officer Capt Sarabjeet S Parmar (retd), now a Distinguished Fellow at the Council of Strategic and Defence Research, said: “Japan has to find a way out. He cited Tokyo’s guidelines that allow exports for active promotion of peace contribution and international cooperation.”

Sources in defence sector said India had a reference point to work with Japan. In March 2024, Tokyo allowed the export of next-generation combat aircraft under the Global Combat Air Programme – that has UK, Italy and Japan as partners.

Yesterday, Japanese Defence Minister Kihara offered a stealth antenna used on naval ships. Called the NORA-50 antenna, dubbed ‘Unicorn’, it is classified as a non-lethal equipment. The two sides also discussed maintenance of Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force ships in India. The Japanese side said they were looking at new areas to cooperate so certain technologies could be transferred to “like-minded countries”.