India, Japan Signal to Beijing: Oppose Moves Impeding Navigation Freedom

New Delhi: India and Japan on Thursday sealed a pact to bolster their maritime security ties and vowed to synergise military cooperation to realise a free and open Indo-Pacific, an assertion that came amid China's increasing military muscle-flexing in the region.

In their talks, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi expressed their strong opposition to any unilateral actions that impede freedom and safety of navigation and overflight, as well as attempts to change the status-quo by force or coercion.

The remarks are seen as directed against China as both India and Japan are concerned over Beijing's offensive military posturing in South and East China seas.

A joint statement on Singh-Koizumi said they affirmed their commitment, to further deepen defence cooperation to realise a free and open Indo-Pacific.

"The two ministers concurred on the importance of sharing assessments of the regional and international security environment between the two countries at a time of heightened global tensions," it said.

"They expressed their strong opposition to any unilateral actions that impede freedom and safety of navigation and overflight, as well as to any attempts to change the status-quo by force or coercion," it noted without directly naming any country.

The two defence ministers signed the Memorandum of Arrangement (MoA) on maritime security cooperation that provides a framework for further advancing ties in the field of maritime security.

Specifically, it includes the strengthening of cooperation between the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Indian Navy, including information sharing in the field of maritime domain awareness as well as enhanced cooperation in areas such as search and rescue.

Singh and Koizumi agreed on moving swiftly to realise concrete maritime security cooperation including maximising synergies to enhance mine countermeasures capabilities and explore the possibility of joint development in naval shipbuilding and design by leveraging Japan's technological expertise and India's production capabilities.

With a view to further advancing cooperation among the services of the two countries, the two ministers concurred on promoting exchanges between their respective special operations forces and pursuing cooperation with India's integrated theatre commands following their establishment.

"The two ministers affirmed that they would strengthen coordination between both sides for the protection of sea lines of communications through mutual visits by naval ships and units, joint exercises, personnel and subject matter expert exchanges and logistical support including use of ports, maintenance and repair facilities," according to the joint statement.

It said such cooperation is vital not only to Japan and India, but also to the region and the international community.

Singh and Koizumi shared the view that both sides should leverage each other's strengths in the field of defence shipbuilding and related areas, and deepen discussions on Japan's use of India's production capabilities under the framework of "Make in India" initiative.

The two ministers also agreed on progressing reciprocal provision of ship repair facilities including the conclusion of ship repair arrangement in near future.

Singh welcomed Japan's recent review of its framework for the transfer of defence equipment and technology, and expressed his expectation that Japan would further contribute to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and the wider world.

He particularly expressed his expectations for the further deepening of the defence and technology partnership between the two countries.

The two ministers shared the view that the project concerning the shipborne UNICORN integrated communications antenna system, as the first defence equipment transfer project between the two countries, represents a symbol of transfer of defence equipment and technology.

They affirmed their commitment to working together towards the early realisation of the project, according to the joint statement.