Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan met with General Yoshida Yoshihide, Chief of Staff of the Japan Self-Defence Forces (JSDF), on July 31, 2025, in New Delhi as part of ongoing efforts to reinforce and deepen defence ties between India and Japan.

During the interaction, General Chauhan expressed his best wishes to General Yoshida on his superannuation, appreciating his significant contributions to strengthening bilateral defence cooperation between the two nations.

General Chauhan also extended greetings to General Hiroaki Uchikura, who is set to succeed General Yoshida as Chief of Staff of the JSDF, expressing confidence that the strong momentum in military ties would continue to grow. This meeting reaffirmed India's strategic commitment to intensify cooperation with Japan, especially in the Indo-Pacific region given the evolving regional security dynamics.

Separately, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) of India, is undertaking an official visit to Japan concurrently. During his visit, he paid tributes at the Memorial Cenotaph, reviewed a Guard of Honour, and held discussions with Admiral Saito Akira, Chief of Staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF).

Their talks focused on strengthening naval cooperation and synergy, including enhanced operational engagements, interoperability, exchange of best practices, collaborative capacity building, and training exchange initiatives.

The naval discussions also centred on a broad range of defence cooperation areas, particularly maritime security, technological collaboration, and exploring new opportunities for naval synergy and interoperability. Admiral Tripathi is also scheduled to visit JMSDF units and interact with the Commander-in-Chief of the Self-Defence Fleet at the Funakoshi JMSDF Base.

The Indian Ministry of Defence has stated that these engagements are part of ongoing efforts to consolidate bilateral defence relations aligned with the deepening 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership' between India and Japan, with a significant focus on maritime cooperation. This reflects the enduring and expanding cooperation between the two countries as they seek to strengthen strategic and military ties within the Indo-Pacific region.

The meetings of CDS General Anil Chauhan with JSDF Chief of Staff Gen. Yoshida and CNS Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi with JMSDF Chief Admiral Saito Akira mark important milestones in India-Japan defence relations.

They emphasise commitment at the highest levels to deepen strategic military cooperation, enhance interoperability, and collaborate in areas of regional security, particularly maritime security, amidst an evolving Indo-Pacific security environment.

Based On ANI Report