India and Japan have agreed to convene the fourth 2+2 Defence and Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Tokyo by the end of 2026, marking a significant step in their expanding defence partnership.

The summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi underscored cooperation across design, manufacturing, exercises, maritime security, and defence technology, with the UNICORN project highlighted as a flagship initiative.

The announcement followed Prime Minister Takaichi’s official visit to India, during which both leaders reviewed the trajectory of bilateral defence cooperation. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasised that India welcomed Japan’s evolving defence export posture, describing it as a positive development for New Delhi.

He noted that Prime Minister Modi suggested cooperation could span the entire spectrum, from design to production and manufacturing, reflecting India’s ambition to integrate Japanese expertise into its defence industrial base.

The leaders highlighted progress on the Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN) programme, a naval radio antenna system designed to reduce radar cross-sections and enhance stealth capabilities. 

Misri confirmed that technical details had largely been settled, with both sides agreeing in principle to move forward. He added that discussions also covered cooperation across land, air, and naval systems, including unmanned platforms, pointing to the growing breadth of collaboration.

Military exercises formed another focal point. Misri observed that while naval drills have long been a feature of the partnership, recent years have seen the introduction of land and air force exercises, some for the first time.

This expansion reflects a deliberate effort to institutionalise defence cooperation across all services. Prime Minister Takaichi herself stressed the importance of strengthening institutional mechanisms, specifically referencing the 2+2 format as a platform to consolidate defence and foreign policy coordination.

On speculation regarding the possible construction of Mogami-class frigates in India, Misri clarified that the issue was not discussed during the summit. However, he confirmed that shipbuilding cooperation with Japan remains an ongoing area of dialogue, leaving open the possibility of future collaboration in naval construction.

The 16th India-Japan Annual Summit Joint Statement directed ministers to hold the fourth 2+2 meeting in Tokyo by year-end. It welcomed the successful conduct of JAIMEX 25, a bilateral naval exercise, and Japan’s participation in the International Fleet Review 2026 in Visakhapatnam.

Both sides agreed to deepen maritime security cooperation through enhanced exercises, maritime domain awareness, naval maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), and defence equipment and technology collaboration under the Make in India framework.

The joint statement also recorded satisfaction that an agreement in principle had been reached on the remaining technical aspects of the UNICORN project. The leaders agreed to explore additional joint projects in defence equipment and technology, signalling that UNICORN may be the first of several co-development ventures.

This aligns with Japan’s revised defence export principles and India’s push for indigenous manufacturing, creating a synergy that could reshape the Indo-Pacific defence landscape.

Beyond defence, the summit reaffirmed the strategic salience of the India-Japan partnership in an increasingly volatile geopolitical environment. Both leaders reiterated their commitment to a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), aligning Japan’s updated FOIP vision with India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI) and MAHASAGAR framework. They stressed that as leading democracies and major economies, India and Japan have a duty to uphold a rules-based international order.

The forthcoming 2+2 meeting in Tokyo will therefore serve not only as a mechanism to advance defence cooperation but also as a symbol of the deepening strategic convergence between India and Japan.

With projects like UNICORN underway and new initiatives on the horizon, the partnership is poised to expand across multiple domains, reinforcing both nations’ roles as anchors of stability in the Indo-Pacific.

ANI