India and Japan on Thursday signed their first-ever joint defence co-development agreement and pledged to deepen cooperation in security, economic resilience and maritime affairs, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi describing Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's visit as the beginning of "a new chapter" in the Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
The announcement came after wide-ranging bilateral talks at Hyderabad House, where the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific amid growing geopolitical uncertainties.
Modi said India and Japan, as the two largest democratic and market economies in the Indo-Pacific, had launched several initiatives aimed at promoting peace, stability and prosperity across the region.
Referring to his remarks at the recent G7 Summit, Modi said mutual trust was the most valuable asset in an increasingly uncertain global environment and noted that the India-Japan partnership had consistently lived up to that principle.
"From automotive to electronics, Japan has made a contribution as an important partner in India's growth story, building an invaluable asset of friendship and trust. And today, with Prime Minister Takaichi's visit, we are starting a new chapter in our Special Strategic and Global Partnership," he said.
Also read: Japan PM Takaichi begins three-day India visit
First defence co-development project
The centrepiece of the summit was the signing of an agreement for the co-development of the Naval Radio Antenna UNICORN, the first defence technology project to be jointly developed by India and Japan.
Calling it a landmark achievement, Modi said the project would usher in a new era of defence technology collaboration between the two countries.
"This project for Naval Radio Antenna UNICORN will open a new chapter in our defence technology partnership. Now we will jointly develop such defence technologies which will strengthen regional peace, maritime security and rules-based order," he said.
In her remarks, delivered in Japanese, Takaichi stressed that India and Japan must leverage each other's strengths to become "stronger and more prosperous together" amid what she described as international affairs in disarray.
Highlighting maritime security as a shared priority, she referred to Japan's updated Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy focused on resilience and self-reliance.
Takaichi announced that a destroyer of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force and an Indian Navy warship would undertake a joint exercise. She also outlined plans to expand naval exercises in the Indian Ocean, deepen cooperation in maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of naval assets, and strengthen defence equipment collaboration under India's Make in India initiative.
She said she had instructed relevant departments to convene the next India-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministers' Meeting before the end of the year to accelerate defence cooperation.
With the two countries set to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to expanding cooperation across trade, investment, economic security, science and technology, clean energy, culture and people-to-people exchanges.
Calling Modi her "bigger brother", Takaichi said she looked forward to welcoming him to Japan and leading bilateral ties into "a new phase" under the Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
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