Japan and India Hold Security Talks to Enhance Cooperation in Indo-Pacific Amid Rising Chinese Assertiveness

The foreign and defense ministers of Japan and India convened in New Delhi on Tuesday for security talks aimed at bolstering cooperation in response to increased Chinese military activities in the Indo-Pacific region.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defense Minister Minoru Kihara met with their Indian counterparts, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh, respectively, marking the third “two-plus-two” dialogue between the two nations since the talks were initiated in November 2019.

In recent years, Japan and India have significantly enhanced their defense collaboration, sharing a vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific—a strategy clearly influenced by China’s growing assertiveness in the region.

One of the key areas of tension is the East China Sea, where China Coast Guard vessels have frequently entered Japanese waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands, a group of uninhabited islets controlled by Tokyo but claimed by Beijing, which refers to them as Diaoyu. This ongoing issue has strained Sino-Japanese relations.

India, too, faces its own territorial dispute with China in the Himalayan border region, adding another layer of shared concerns between Tokyo and New Delhi.

As part of the latest efforts to deepen bilateral ties, Japan is considering exporting communication antennas for Indian warships, similar to those equipped on a new Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer. If approved, this would mark the first instance of defense equipment export under the Japan-India defense equipment and technology transfer agreement signed in 2015.

Beyond their bilateral cooperation, Japan and India are also active members of the Quad framework, which includes the United States and Australia. The four nations have been increasing their defense collaboration, notably through joint maritime exercises.

India is recognized as a leading power among emerging and developing economies, collectively known as the Global South. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s administration has placed considerable emphasis on strengthening ties with these nations.

However, India maintains a nuanced position on global alliances. As a member of the BRICS forum—comprising Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa—India has sustained friendly relations with Moscow, even after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

This latest round of talks highlights the growing importance of Japan-India relations in the broader context of regional security and global geopolitics.