Vientiane
India and Japan have agreed to explore new areas of defence cooperation, particularly in the air domain, following high-level discussions between Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Japanese counterpart General Nakatani. The meeting, which took place on the sidelines of the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Laos on Friday, marks another significant step in the growing defence relationship between the two nations.
A key highlight of their discussions was the recent signing of the Memorandum of Implementation for the transfer of the Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN), a system designed to enhance the stealth capabilities of naval platforms. This technology will be co-developed by India’s Bharat Electronics Limited in collaboration with Japan, making it the first co-production of defence equipment between the two countries.
The ministers also focused on broader defence cooperation, emphasizing the importance of multilateral defence exchanges and joint efforts to maintain a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. They agreed to continue working closely with countries that share democratic values, reaffirming their shared commitment to regional stability and security. Singh’s visit also included a productive meeting with Philippine Defence Minister Gilberto Teodoro, where both sides vowed to deepen cooperation on counter-terrorism, maritime security, and defence technology. Singh’s engagements in Laos further included meetings with defence leaders from Malaysia, Laos, China, the US, New Zealand, South Korea, and Australia, highlighting India’s growing role in regional security dialogues.
