India and Japan held the 8th Defence Policy Dialogue in Tokyo on July 13, 2026, with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh leading the Indian delegation and Vice Minister of Defence for International Affairs Kano Koji heading the Japanese side. The two sides reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral defence engagements and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership. The dialogue comes at a time of growing convergence between the two countries on regional security issues, especially in the Indo-Pacific.
The 8th Defence Policy Dialogue
The Defence Policy Dialogue is a key institutional mechanism between India and Japan that operates at the Secretary-level. It serves as a platform for the two countries to review the full range of defence cooperation and set the direction for future engagement. The 8th edition was co-chaired by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Vice Minister of Defence for International Affairs Kano Koji.
The dialogue covered comprehensive discussions on the prevailing regional and global security environment, with both sides exchanging views on issues of mutual strategic interest. The two delegations welcomed the steady expansion of defence ties and stressed the importance of maintaining regular high-level exchanges and institutional dialogue mechanisms.
Earlier on the same day, the Defence Secretary called on Japan’s Minister of Defence Shinjiro Koizumi and conveyed greetings from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed the growing momentum of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership. Singh also extended an invitation from Rajnath Singh to Koizumi for a visit to India at the earliest opportunity. The Defence Secretary began his visit by laying a wreath at the Self-Defense Forces Memorial Stone in Tokyo, paying tribute to members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.
Key Areas of Bilateral Defence Cooperation
The dialogue reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral defence engagements. Among the key areas discussed were military-to-military exchanges, cooperation between the two countries’ joint headquarters, and maritime security cooperation. Both sides also reviewed progress on bilateral and multilateral defence exercises, capacity building initiatives, defence equipment and technology collaboration, and enhanced institutional interactions.
The two countries have built a robust framework for joint military exercises over the years. Exercise Malabar, which began as a bilateral India-US naval exercise in 1992, now includes Japan as a permanent partner (since 2015) and Australia as a participant, effectively functioning as a de facto Quad naval drill. JIMEX (Japan-India Maritime Exercise) is the dedicated bilateral naval exercise between the two countries. Beyond the maritime domain, the two nations also conduct joint army exercises under the banner of Dharma Guardian and air force exercises through Veer Guardian.
Maritime technology cooperation received special attention during the dialogue. The two sides discussed collaboration on naval maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) and explored ways to deepen maritime domain awareness using satellite capabilities. This maritime focus is significant given India’s location astride critical Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) in the Indian Ocean and Japan’s position as a key maritime stakeholder in the Pacific.
Expanding into Emerging Domains
Beyond traditional defence cooperation, the two delegations explored ways to deepen collaboration in emerging and strategic domains. Defence industrial collaboration, technological innovation, cyber security, and space cooperation were identified as priority areas for future engagement.
Defence Industrial Collaboration
With Japan’s historic decision in April 2026 to amend its Three Principles on Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology, the scope for bilateral defence industrial partnership has expanded significantly. The amendment, announced by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, removed self-imposed restrictions that had limited Japanese defence exports to search and rescue, transportation, surveillance, and mine countermeasures. The new framework makes the transfer of all defence equipment possible in principle.
This policy shift has already yielded concrete results. At the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit held in New Delhi on July 2, 2026, the two countries signed their first-ever defence co-development agreement for the UNICORN (Unified Complex Radio Antenna) project. This integrated stealth communications mast, which consolidates multiple antenna functions into a single lower-profile structure, will be co-produced in India by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in collaboration with Japanese firms including NEC Corporation. The UNICORN mast is designed to reduce a warship’s radar cross-section and will be fitted on Indian Navy vessels.
Following the dialogue, Defence Secretary Singh also visited the JMSDF Kure Naval Base in Hiroshima and toured the JS Niyodo, the seventh Mogami-class stealth frigate of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. This visit is significant as Japan has reportedly offered to transfer the design and production rights for the Mogami-class frigates to India under the Make in India framework, potentially marking Japan’s first major defence platform export to India.
A Shared Vision for the Indo-Pacific
A central theme of the 8th Defence Policy Dialogue was the shared commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region founded on respect for international law. Both countries expressed satisfaction with the growing convergence in their approaches to regional and global security issues and agreed to continue working closely in the Indo-Pacific.
India’s Act East Policy, its SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision, and the broader Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) find natural alignment with Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy. More recently, India’s MAHASAGAR initiative, which Prime Minister Modi has described as a vision for the Indian Ocean region, has been welcomed by Japan as complementary to its own FOIP framework.
Both countries are also key members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), along with the United States and Australia. The Quad serves as a platform for the four like-minded democracies to coordinate on maritime security, critical technology, infrastructure, and regional stability. Exercise Malabar, in which all four Quad members participate, remains the premier multilateral naval exercise in the Indo-Pacific region.
Building on the 16th Annual Summit
The 8th Defence Policy Dialogue built directly on the outcomes of the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit held in New Delhi on July 2, 2026. During that summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi adopted a Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation and agreed on three priority pillars for bilateral engagement: defence and security cooperation, economic partnership including economic security and technology, and people-to-people exchanges.
The two Prime Ministers had directed their ministers to hold the fourth round of the 2+2 Ministerial Meeting (Foreign and Defence Ministers) in Tokyo by the end of 2026. At the Defence Policy Dialogue, both sides discussed the probable outcomes and agenda for this forthcoming 2+2 dialogue.
The UNICORN Project
The UNICORN naval antenna project stands as a landmark achievement in India-Japan defence ties. It is the first defence co-development project between the two countries, with BEL serving as the Indian production partner. The integrated mast system, which is already fitted on Japan’s Mogami-class frigates, consolidates separate communication, radar, and surveillance antennas into a single stealth mast. This reduces topside clutter and lowers the ship’s radar cross-section, making it harder to detect.
Expanded Economic Security Cooperation
The Annual Summit also yielded a Joint Declaration on Economic Security Cooperation, identifying semiconductors, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, clean energy, and information and communication technology as priority sectors. The two countries set a target of attracting approximately ¥10 trillion (roughly $68 billion) in Japanese investment into India over the next decade.
Key Takeaways
- The 8th India-Japan Defence Policy Dialogue was held in Tokyo on July 13, 2026, co-chaired by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Vice Minister Kano Koji.
- The dialogue reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral defence cooperation including military exchanges, maritime security, joint exercises, and defence equipment and technology collaboration.
- Japan’s Three Principles on Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology were amended in April 2026, removing self-imposed restrictions and enabling broader defence industrial partnership with India.
- The UNICORN integrated stealth communications mast is the first-ever defence co-development project between India and Japan, to be co-produced by Bharat Electronics Limited.
- India and Japan agreed to hold the fourth 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue (Foreign and Defence Ministers) by the end of 2026 in Tokyo.
- The two nations reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific and are key members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad).
