New Delhi, August 20 (TNA) The defence ministers of India and Japan concurred on deepening operational cooperation in the field of maritime security in a practical and effective manner. They accordingly affirmed their commitment to strengthening Maritime Security Cooperation and signed the Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation between the Ministry of Defence of Japan and the Ministry of Defence of India.
The Memorandum provides a framework for further advancing cooperation between the two countries in the field of maritime security. Specifically, it includes the strengthening of cooperation between the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Indian Navy, including information sharing in the field of Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), as well as enhanced cooperation in areas such as Search and Rescue (SAR) and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).
The two Ministers affirmed that they would strengthen coordination between both sides for the protection of Sea Lines of Communications through mutual visits by naval ships and units, joint exercises, personnel and Subject Matter Expert (SME) exchanges and logistical support, including the use of ports, maintenance and repair facilities. Such cooperation is vital not only to Japan and India, but also to the region and the international community.