Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held bilateral discussions on Monday with his Japanese counterpart, General Nakatani, in New Delhi. During the talks, Singh expressed appreciation to the Japanese government for standing in solidarity with India following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives.

Singh commended General Nakatani for his significant efforts in enhancing defence ties between the two nations. At the beginning of the India-Japan Defence Ministerial Meeting, Singh recalled their previous meeting in Vientiane, Laos, in November last year, where both sides had agreed to boost cooperation in defence industry, technology sharing, and military interoperability.

Welcoming Nakatani and his delegation, Singh remarked, “I remember our meeting in Vientiane where we agreed to strengthen defence cooperation. I appreciate Japan’s strong support following the Pahalgam attack.” Singh further lauded Nakatani for playing a key role in advancing India-Japan defence relations, particularly through agreements on defence equipment, technical collaboration, and military information protection. He expressed confidence that with Nakatani’s return as Defence Minister, bilateral defence cooperation will continue to grow stronger.

This marked their second meeting in six months, following their first encounter during the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Laos in November 2024. Earlier in the day, General Nakatani was welcomed with a Guard of Honour in Delhi. Singh personally received him, and the two leaders exchanged warm greetings. Nakatani also paid tribute at the National War Memorial by laying a wreath.

According to a Ministry of Defence press release, India and Japan enjoy a deep-rooted friendship, which has gained greater significance since the elevation of their relationship to a Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014. Defence and security remain vital pillars of this relationship. The Ministry also noted that defence cooperation between the two nations has grown steadily due to shared strategic perspectives, especially concerning peace, security, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.