Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold a bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart, Shinjiro Koizumi, in New Delhi on Thursday (August 20, 2026), with the two sides expected to discuss ways to further strengthen defence and security cooperation and enhance strategic trust in the Indo-Pacific.
The Japanese Defence Minister was briefed on the roles, responsibilities and operational capabilities of the Indian Navy. He also visited the indigenously built guided-missile destroyer INS Chennai. The two-day visit underscores the growing momentum in India-Japan defence ties and comes weeks after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to New Delhi for the Annual Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where the two sides agreed to deepen defence and security cooperation.
The Ministers are expected to exchange views on deeper maritime security cooperation and closer collaboration in defence equipment and technology under the ‘Make in India’ framework, particularly following Japan’s revision of its Three Principles on Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology, according to the Ministry of Defence.
He inspected a Guard of Honour at the Western Naval Command and earlier laid a wreath at the Gaurav Stambh at the Naval Dockyard.
