Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has warmly thanked his Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi for his Independence Day greetings, while also confirming that he looks forward to Koizumi’s upcoming visit to India on 20 August, which will focus on strengthening defence cooperation.

This visit is part of Japan’s broader strategic outreach, with Koizumi expected to tour a naval base and hold high-level talks in New Delhi.

Rajnath Singh expressed gratitude to Shinjiro Koizumi in a post on X, noting that he looks forward to welcoming him to India to further expand and deepen the defence partnership. Koizumi had earlier congratulated India on its 80th Independence Day, writing that he looked forward to seeing Singh soon.

Koizumi’s visit to India is scheduled for 20 August, following his arrival in Mumbai on 19 August. He is expected to visit a naval base before travelling to New Delhi for talks. His trip forms part of a two-nation tour that also includes Australia, reflecting Japan’s growing focus on maritime security and Indo-Pacific cooperation.

India and Japan have steadily expanded defence cooperation in recent years. They conduct joint military exercises such as JAIMEX for the navy, Dharma Guardian for the army, and Veer Guardian for the air force.

Japan also participated in the International Fleet Review 2026 in Visakhapatnam. These engagements highlight the increasing operational synergy between the two nations.

The upcoming talks between Singh and Koizumi are expected to cover defence industry cooperation, joint operational readiness, and maritime security. Both sides are working to enhance maritime domain awareness, satellite-based surveillance, naval maintenance and repair, and defence technology collaboration under India’s “Make in India” framework.

A significant development earlier this year was Japan’s decision to ease restrictions on defence exports, allowing Tokyo to supply advanced military hardware to trusted partners like India.

India and Japan recently signed their first co-development agreement for the UNICORN naval radio antenna system, marking a new step in defence technology collaboration. In September, fighter aircraft from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force are scheduled to travel to India for joint air exercises, further boosting bilateral military engagement.

The two countries also held the eighth Defence Policy Dialogue in Tokyo on 13 July, co-chaired by Indian Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Japan’s Vice Minister of Defence Kano Koji. Discussions covered cyber security, space cooperation, technological innovation, and defence industrial collaboration. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.

The greetings from Koizumi came amid a wave of messages from global leaders celebrating India’s 80th Independence Day. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recalled India’s arduous path to freedom, Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed India’s remarkable progress, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu reaffirmed his country’s commitment to partnership, French President Emmanuel Macron extended warm wishes, and Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay expressed hope for continued friendship, addressing Prime Minister Modi as his “elder brother.”

These messages underline the breadth of India’s diplomatic engagement and highlight the shared emphasis on friendship, cooperation, and building a peaceful, prosperous region. They also reflect India’s growing stature as a global power, with partnerships spanning defence, technology, energy, and people-to-people ties.

ANI