India and Japan unveil firstand Japan unveil first defense codevelopment pact to boost Indo-Pacific ties
India and Japan signed their first defense codevelopment pact during a summit in New Delhi on July 2, 2026, with Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Sanae Takaichi announcing expanded cooperation in defense, AI, and energy security.
The agreement includes major Japanese investment projects totaling over 10 trillion yen, including green ammonia production and R&D facilities, marking a significant deepening of the two nations' strategic partnership.
This move strengthens regional security frameworks in the Indo-Pacific as both nations seek to enhance economic resilience and technological independence.
South China Morning Post
South China Morning Post frames Japan's push as a strategic move to counter China's dominance in the Indo-Pacific, suggesting that India's willingness to cooperate with Japan increases when its border with China is tense, but declines when relations stabilize.
Nikkei Asia
Japanese media outlets portray the new defense pact as a natural evolution of the India-Japan alliance, emphasizing shared goals in technology, energy security, and economic cooperation to strengthen regional stability without explicitly naming China as the primary threat.
- Japan has been India's largest donor of development assistance since 2000, providing over $90 billion in total aid for infrastructure and technology projects.
- The green ammonia project at Kandla Port is expected to be one of Asia's largest, aiming to reduce carbon emissions by 300,000 tons annually.
- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi became Japan's first female prime minister in 2025, focusing heavily on economic security and Indo-Pacific strategy.
