Overview
- The two defence ministers signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation that frames closer operational work between the Japan Maritime Self‑Defense Force and the Indian Navy.
- A Director‑General/Joint Secretary‑level Working Group will coordinate implementation and speed follow‑up on operational, intelligence, equipment, technology and industrial commitments.
- The ministers identified the UNICORN shipborne communications antenna as the first equipment‑transfer project and agreed to deepen DRDO‑ATLA defence R&D ties while exploring broader technology transfers.
- The agreement commits to practical steps such as Maritime Domain Awareness data sharing, search‑and‑rescue and humanitarian response cooperation, reciprocal port access and ship‑repair arrangements.
- The pact expands joint exercises and interoperability, including Veer Guardian 26 with Japanese fighters, and signals shared resolve to uphold freedom of navigation in the Indo‑Pacific.