Rajnath Singh, Japanese Defence Minister Exchange Messages, Discuss Deeper Bilateral Ties

India-Japan defence ties are set for further strengthening, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi exchanging warm messages and reaffirming their commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation. Singh thanked Koizumi for conveying his regards through Belgium’s Defence and Foreign Trade Minister Theo Francken during the latter’s recent visit to New Delhi, and indicated that the two countries would continue building on their longstanding strategic partnership.

Singh noted in a post on X that Koizumi’s message had been received during Francken’s visit and reciprocated. He also expressed anticipation over his next visit to Japan, highlighting the importance of further deepening the relationship between the two countries. The exchange followed Francken’s meeting with Singh in New Delhi on Thursday, during which the Belgian minister conveyed Koizumi’s personal message to his Indian counterpart.

Koizumi subsequently shared a video of his interaction with Francken on X and explained that he had met the Belgian minister during his visit to Japan and requested him to convey his greetings to Singh if he travelled to India. Francken later delivered the message during his meeting with Singh, creating an informal exchange between the Indian and Japanese defence ministers through their Belgian counterpart. Singh responded by thanking Francken for conveying the message.

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Koizumi had visited India last month and held discussions with Singh on strengthening defence cooperation between New Delhi and Tokyo. Following that meeting, the Japanese Defence Minister highlighted the need to translate their discussions into concrete outcomes and further develop mutual trust. The engagement reflected the growing focus on practical cooperation between the two countries amid changing regional and international security conditions.

The two ministers have also placed greater emphasis on maritime security and operational cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. In a joint statement following their earlier meeting, Singh and Koizumi stressed the importance of sharing assessments of regional and international security developments, particularly at a time of heightened global tensions. They also reaffirmed their commitment to advancing defence cooperation in line with the Japan-India Joint Statement issued in July 2026.

As part of these efforts, India and Japan agreed to deepen practical and effective operational cooperation in maritime security. Singh and Koizumi signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation, aimed at strengthening coordination in the maritime domain. The agreement forms part of broader efforts by both countries to advance defence ties and contribute to their shared objective of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.

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