"India and Japan sign maritime security pact for Indo-Pacific cooperation"
Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs)
maritime routes critical for trade, energy, and military logistics across the Indo-Pacific
Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA)
real-time monitoring of all maritime activities affecting security, safety, and the economy
India and Japan share a Special Strategic and Global Partnership, one of the most substantive bilateral frameworks India maintains in the Indo-Pacific. This partnership has evolved steadily over two decades, moving from trade and investment ties to a comprehensive defence and security relationship. The foundation rests on shared strategic interests: both countries favour a rules-based international order, freedom of navigation, and a stable Indo-Pacific free from coercive unilateral actions.
India's Act East Policy — an upgrade of the earlier Look East Policy — repositioned engagement with the Asia-Pacific as a core foreign-policy priority. Japan is a central pillar of this policy. Both countries are members of the Quad grouping alongside the United States and Australia, which has institutionalised multilateral cooperation on maritime security, critical technologies, and supply-chain resilience. India's MAHASAGAR vision (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) provides the broader conceptual framework for India's cooperative, non-coercive approach to the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific.
The India-Japan defence relationship has deepened through structured bilateral exercises, defence equipment transfers, and logistics arrangements. Japan's Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the Indian Navy have progressively expanded interoperability. The two countries also cooperate under the Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN), a humanitarian and disaster-relief coordination mechanism.
Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) are the maritime routes through which trade, energy, and military logistics flow. The Indo-Pacific hosts some of the world's most critical SLOCs — through the Strait of Malacca, the South China Sea, and the Indian Ocean. India and Japan are both heavily dependent on these routes for energy imports and export-led growth. Disruption to SLOCs — through piracy, territorial disputes, or coercive naval posturing — directly threatens both economies.
Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) is the ability to understand and monitor all activities in the maritime environment that could affect security, safety, the economy, or the environment. MDA is the foundation of effective naval cooperation. Sharing MDA data between India and Japan allows both navies to track vessels, detect threats, and coordinate responses in real time across a vast oceanic expanse.
The Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation signed during this bilateral meeting establishes a formal framework for operational cooperation. …
Consider the following in respect of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS):
1.Inaugural IONS was held in India in 2015 under the chairmanship of the Indian Navy.
2.IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime co-operation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
With reference to 'Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC)', consider the following statements:
1.It was established very recently in response to incidents of piracy and accidents of oil spills.
2.It is an alliance meant for maritime security only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following:
1.Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
2.Missile Technology Control Regime
3.Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
India is a member of which of the above?
With reference to the India-Japan Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation, consider the following statements:
1.It establishes a framework for cooperation between the Indian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
2.Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), Search and Rescue (SAR), and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) are among its key focus areas.
3.It includes provisions for reciprocal use of ports and ship repair facilities.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following correctly identifies the UNICORN system in the context of India-Japan defence cooperation?
Assertion (A): India and Japan have agreed to explore joint development in naval shipbuilding and design under the Make in India framework.
Reason (R): Japan's technological expertise in naval systems and India's manufacturing capacity create complementary strengths that both sides seek to leverage.
Which of the following is correct?
Want the full note, Prelims Facts & MCQ answers?
Create a free account — takes less than a minute.
Create free account