Indian Navy Chief Visits Japan to Advance Maritime Cooperation and Strategic Partnership

by Aritra Banerjee

Indian Navy Chief Visits Japan to Advance Maritime Cooperation and Strategic Partnership

India’s Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, is on an official visit to Japan from 30 July to 2 August.

The Indian Navy, in a press statement, said that Admiral Tripathi’s visit is part of the ongoing efforts to consolidate bilateral defence relations between India and Japan, in line with the deepening ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’, with a focus on enhancing maritime cooperation.

During the visit, the CNS is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with senior Japanese government officials, including Minister of Defense, Nakatani Gen and Vice-Minister of Defense, Masuda Kazuo. He will also hold a meeting with Adm Saito Akira, Chief of Staff, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

The Indian Navy, further elaborating on the premise of the discussions, stated that they are expected to encompass a broad spectrum of defence cooperation areas, with particular emphasis on maritime security, technological collaboration, and identifying new avenues to strengthen naval synergy and interoperability.

“The CNS will also visit JMSDF units and interact with the Commander-in-Chief, Self Defense Fleet, at Funakoshi JMSDF Base,” the Indian Navy stated in the press release.

Adm. Dinesh K Tripathi’s engagements in Japan are poised to further deepen the bonds of friendship and defence cooperation, paving the way for enhanced mutual understanding in key areas of shared strategic and maritime interest.

It comes as a fillip to defence cooperation between the two countries.

In August last year, India and Japan conducted the third 2+2 foreign and defence ministerial meeting, where the two countries discussed steps to expand joint training, exercises, and coordination, especially to ensure security of sea lanes in the Indo-Pacific, and to counter rising challenges in the region.

It was the joint statement issued after the 2+2 inter-Ministerial dialogue in August 2024, which had mentioned the discussions on the co-development and deployment of Japan’s advanced Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN) Mast technology on Indian Navy warships.

The Indian Navy is co-developing these systems with Bharat Electronics Limited in India, with Japanese collaboration.

In the joint statement released after the 2+2 ministerial dialogue, the countries had also referred to the successful completion of the cooperation in the areas of Unmanned Ground Vehicle/Robotics. The two countries had also mentioned future cooperation in ship maintenance in India.

In addition to this, a new bilateral defence consultation framework was also agreed upon in May 2025, with both countries discussing steps to expand joint training, exercises, and coordination, especially to ensure security of sea lanes in the Indo-Pacific, and to counter rising challenges in the region.

India and Japan regularly carry out joint exercises such as the Dharma Guardian (Army), JIMEX (Navy), and Veer Guardian (Air Force with a focus largely on interoperability and shared regional security objectives.

Author

Aritra Banerjee is a Defence, Foreign Affairs & Aerospace Journalist, Co-Author of the book ‘The Indian Navy @75: Reminiscing the Voyage’ and was the Co-Founder of Mission Victory India (MVI), a new-age military reforms think-tank. He has worked in TV, Print and Digital media, and has been a columnist writing on strategic affairs for national and international publications. His reporting career has seen him covering major Security and Aviation events in Europe and travelling across Kashmir conflict zones. Twitter: @Aritrabanned