New Delhi: In a move to boost maritime relations, India and Japan have recently intensified their cooperation to boost maritime connectivity and regional cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. This initiative was spotlighted during the seminar “IPOI: India-Japan Partnership in Maritime Connectivity” held at the Indian Embassy in Tokyo on July 22.
The seminar included key addresses from officials such as India’s Ambassador to Japan Sibi George, Japan’s former Defence Minister Minoru Kihara, India’s Secretary (East) P. Kumaran, and Japan’s MOFA Director General Shingo Miyamoto. Discussions focused on enhancing maritime linkages between the two countries to deepen strategic, economic, and security collaboration in the Indo-Pacific.
On the sidelines of this seminar, Ambassador Sibi George met prominent Japanese lawmakers, including House of Representatives member Yasutoshi Nishimura and former Defence Minister Minoru Kihara, to discuss strengthening the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
Further strengthening these ties, in June 2025, Indian Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal met with Japan’s Vice Minister for International Affairs Terada Yoshimichi in Oslo to discuss expanding maritime ties, including Japanese investment in Indian shipyards like Imabari Shipbuilding in Andhra Pradesh, cooperation on port digitisation, green initiatives, research and development, and seafarer employment and upskilling.
Both nations agreed on the strategic development of the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands as “Smart Islands,” deploying sustainable technologies such as renewable energy, smart mobility, and disaster-resilient infrastructure leveraging Japan’s expertise.
The partnership also envisions collaboration in promoting maritime heritage through joint development of the National Maritime Heritage Museum at Lothal, Gujarat, intending to boost maritime tourism, education, and research.
India and Japan share broader strategic ties under frameworks like the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) and the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision, focusing on maritime security, economic integration, and regional peace. Regular high-level dialogues, including the 17th Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue and the 3rd round of the 2+2 Ministerial Meeting in New Delhi in August 2024, highlight their commitment to this partnership.
Japan recognises India’s vast pool of trained seafarers—approximately 154,000—seeing them as important for supplementing Japan’s maritime workforce, with both countries exploring joint upskilling and employment programs.
Overall, India and Japan are advancing cooperative efforts through investments exceeding ₹3 lakh crore by 2027, focusing on shipbuilding joint ventures, port infrastructure development, green shipping technologies, and maritime digitalisation under India’s “Maritime India Vision 2030” and “Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047”.
This comprehensive strategy underpins India-Japan’s shared goals for sustainable maritime growth, resilience of supply chains, regional economic prosperity, and strategic security in the Indo-Pacific region.
