India, Japan agree to bolster defense ties
Japan's Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi inspects the guard of honour at the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi on August 20, 2026. (AFP photo)
India and Japan agreed to bolster security ties, including maritime cooperation on Aug. 20 after their defense ministers met in New Delhi.
India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi held talks and signed a memorandum on maritime security cooperation, according to a joint statement.
Both countries are members of the so-called Quad security alliance along with the United States and Australia, a group seen as a counterweight to China's expanding presence in the Indian Ocean and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
