Japan urges India to speed approval of naval radar agreement

Japan has urged India to speed up its internal processing of an agreement on the UNICORN naval radar system signed by the two countries during Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to India in July. A senior Japanese Defence Ministry official told The Hindu that the two countries had a basic agreement on technology transfer but that Tokyo was waiting for the Indian establishment to complete its procedures. Japan hopes the process will be accelerated, the official said.

The official also said the next naval exercise involving the Quad countries would take place near the Sea of Japan before the end of the year. The Quad comprises India, Japan, the United States and Australia, while the Malabar exercise is expected to be held before the end of 2026. Japan and India recently concluded the bilateral Veer Guardian 2026 naval exercise.

The Japanese official called for closer military collaboration and highlighted the Free and Open Indo-Pacific concept, which featured prominently during Takaichi’s India visit. The official said Japan would work quickly to maintain uninterrupted capabilities against drones and other unmanned systems. He said the use of artificial intelligence in combat in West Asia and Ukraine was accelerating military decision-making, while countering drones with expensive missiles could rapidly deplete equipment.

Japan is revising major policy documents on national security, defence and military supply ahead of the previously expected 2027 timetable. The official cited concerns about military activities by China, Russia and North Korea, including China-Russia bomber flights near Japan. He said Japan would not strike first and would maintain the minimum defence capability necessary for self-defence.

He also said Tokyo would work with allies and like-minded countries in response to activities in the South China Sea, including China’s reported July test-firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile.