India and Japan held the 8th Defence Policy Dialogue in Tokyo on 13 July 2026, with the Indian delegation led by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and the Japanese delegation led by Vice Minister of Defence for International Affairs Kano Koji. Both sides reviewed progress in bilateral defence cooperation since the previous dialogue and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the India–Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
The dialogue covered the regional and global security environment and reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral defence engagement, including military-to-military exchanges, cooperation between joint headquarters, maritime cooperation, defence exercises, capacity building, defence equipment and technology collaboration, including maritime technologies, and institutional exchanges.
Both sides welcomed the steady expansion of defence ties and emphasised the importance of maintaining regular high-level engagements. They also discussed expected outcomes of the forthcoming ministerial visits, including the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue scheduled for later this year.
The delegations further explored opportunities to deepen cooperation in defence industrial collaboration, technological innovation, cybersecurity, space and other areas of shared strategic interest. They expressed satisfaction with the growing convergence on regional and global security issues and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific founded on respect for international law.
During the visit, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh called on Japanese Minister of Defence Shinjiro Koizumi, conveyed greetings from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and extended an invitation for the Japanese Defence Minister to visit India at the earliest opportunity. Earlier, he laid a wreath at the Self-Defense Forces Memorial Stone in Tokyo, paying tribute to members of the Japan Self-Defense Forces who made the supreme sacrifice in service of their nation.
The visit underscored the growing and deepening defence ties, mutual respect, and shared commitment of India and Japan towards peace, security, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
