New Delhi : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will hold a bilateral meeting with Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in New Delhi on August 20, 2026, in a move aimed at further strengthening the India-Japan strategic defence partnership.
The meeting is expected to deepen bilateral defence relations, enhance strategic trust and cooperation, promote peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region, and identify new avenues for collaboration between the two countries.
During the talks, the two ministers will exchange views on expanding maritime security cooperation and advancing collaboration in defence equipment and technology under India’s Make in India initiative. Discussions are also expected to build on Japan’s revised Three Principles on Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology, paving the way for closer industrial and technological partnerships.
On his maiden visit to India, Shinjiro Koizumi visited the Western Naval Command in Mumbai on August 19, where he held discussions with Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan and Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan. The Japanese delegation was briefed on the operational capabilities, roles and responsibilities of the Indian Navy.
The visiting dignitary also inspected a Guard of Honour at the Western Naval Command, laid a wreath at the Gaurav Stambh at the Naval Dockyard, and toured the indigenous guided-missile destroyer INS Chennai.
India and Japan share a common vision of a free, open, resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Koizumi’s two-day visit reflects the growing momentum in bilateral defence cooperation and underscores the commitment of both nations to further expand their strategic partnership.
The visit comes just weeks after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited New Delhi for the Annual Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which both sides agreed to deepen defence and security cooperation.