Gen. Natakani’s Visit To India: Scaling Up India-Japan Defence Ties – Analysis
Japan’s Defence Minister General Nakatani paid a four-day visit to India 3 May 2025 that also took him to Sri Lanka to discuss bilateral defence cooperation and regional security.
In his discussion with the Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh, Gen Natakani touched the concerning Pahalgam terror attack and expressed solidarity in which 26 people were killed. India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Gen Natakani had met at Vientiane Laos, in November 2024 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus during which both agreed to expand defence cooperation between industry, technology and interoperability between the armed forces. At the India-Japan Defence Ministerial meeting, Rajnath Singh appreciated Japan’s stance in the Pahalgam terror attack and thanked Gen Natakani and the government of Japan for their strong expression of solidarity with India in wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. So, this marked the second meeting between the two leaders within a span of six months.
With the objective to deepen bilateral defence cooperation, both sides discussed views and ideas on the prevailing regional and territorial security situation. Both the leaders also discussed ways to further deepen defence ties between the two countries. India and Japan, both Quad members, thus held their second Defence Ministers’ meeting in six months, after the first meeting in November 2024 at the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ event in Laos. Both sides are working to boost military coordination, with talks focused on a proposed supply-sharing agreement.
India and Japan have shared a strong friendship, which deepened in 2014 when their ties were upgraded to a special strategic and global partnership. Defence and security are key areas of this partnership. In recent years, defence ties have strengthened further, reflecting their shared vision for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
The significance of Gen Natakani’s visit and discussion on how to deepen defence cooperation, including starting discussions toward establishing a senior officer-level dialogue body is to be read against the background of China’s continued expansion of military presence in the Indo-Pacific region. Both reaffirmed that the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and the Indian military will increase their joint exercises. The envisaged dialogue body will be in charge of coordinating the overall collaborative work between the forces of the two countries.
Both India and Japan were driven by the consideration that the situation surrounding both countries had become “complicated and uncertain” at a time when President Trump’s commitments to the Indo-Pacific region remained unclear. As both are members of the Quad grouping of Indo-Pacific democracies that also includes the United States and Australia, both are committed with the resolve that the framework widely seen as a counterweight to China remains on track.
As regards India, it would be keen to continue bilateral defence equipment and technology collaboration with Japan and Singh conveyed to his counterpart India’s desire. In recent years, Japan has been stepping up security ties with India by increasing joint drills and reinforcing defence capabilities in the space and cyber domains. This needed to be augmented.
Japan and India have also been discussing a plan to transfer Unicorn communication antennas similar to those installed on a new Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer. The meeting came after Tokyo approached New Delhi about participating in the Global Combat Air Program, an initiative involving Japan, Britain and Italy to jointly develop a next-generation fighter jet by 2035.
So, what transpired during the meeting between the two defence ministers was that both expressed commitment to boost defence ties, with focus on co-producing next-gen jet and tank engines, cyber cooperation, and maritime security. Both also discussed collaboration in AI, automation, and niche defence technologies.
Commending Gen Natakani’s critical role in deepening Indo-Japan defence relations, Rajnath Singh noted the significance of key agreements signed during Natakani’s earlier tenure, including the Defence Equipment and Technical Cooperation Agreement and the Protection of Military Information Agreement. Singh showed optimism that with Nakatani back in charge, cooperation will scale up further.
A major take-away from the meeting was the discussion on co-producing next-generation engines for fighter jets and tanks. India is looking to tap into Japan’s long-standing experience in building tanks and aero-engines, which dates back nearly a century. Rajnath Singh highlighted the capabilities of India’s defence industry and pitched for collaboration in these high-technology sectors.
The two leaders also agreed to enhance cooperation in new-age domains like Artificial Intelligence, automation, and defence technology innovation. Rajnath Singh cited examples such as India’s defence shipyards maintaining US warships as proof of India’s growing strength in maintenance and overhaul services. Industrial collaboration is now set to extend into niche and futuristic areas.
The focus was also on cooperation in the field of cyber and space as strategic frontiers. Both ministers decided to work closely in the fields of cyber security and outer space—two increasingly critical areas in modern warfare. These new frontiers of cooperation aim to strengthen the technological edge of both countries in ensuring national and regional security.
Maritime security also featured as a key component of the talks. Both the ministers reaffirmed the need to bolster joint efforts in safeguarding the Indo-Pacific region. They agreed to add new dimensions to their already strong maritime cooperation, reflecting the shared strategic vision of both countries. Indeed, after bilateral ties were elevated to a Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014, India-Japan friendship has gained fresh energy and traction. Defence and security have since become crucial pillars of the bilateral relationship. The growing convergence in outlook, especially on regional peace and security, is driving the expanding defence partnership.
From the discussions and various agreement reached between the two leaders it transpired that China’s growing assertiveness is driving both sharing same principles of pursuing a peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law, which is why cooperation and coordination of policies between the two sides are important. As concrete defense cooperation, both leaders agreed to enhance bilateral joint exercises and to collaborate on the protection of maritime traffic, including anti-piracy measures, with the aim of ensuring the security of sea-lanes.
Nakatani underlined that it was China’s aggressive posture which is the main driver drawing India and Japan closer to find common ground. He mentioned that the situation surrounding Japan and India is rapidly growing more complex and uncertain. Both India and Japan face similar threats from China. Specifically, Chinese government vessels have repeatedly intruded into Japanese territorial waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands, and a Chinese Coast Guard helicopter violated Japanese airspace near those islands.
Even in the Indian Ocean, China has been sending marine research vessels, creating new friction with India, which has ongoing border disputes with China. If India can deter China on the opposite side of the Indo-Pacific, it will also contribute to Japan’s security. India also maintains a nonaligned foreign policy, avoiding alignment with any particular camp, and it is a member of the BRICS group of emerging economies, which includes China. So, crafting a policy that adheres to India’s long established policy with the demands of the contemporary times in a changed setting is a challenge for the Indian policy makers. India-Japan defence cooperation needs to be understood against this background.
