Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with Defence Minister of Japan, Gen Nikatani

India and Japan have taken significant steps to enhance their military collaboration through a recent agreement aimed at co-developing advanced naval technology. Here are the key developments:

On November 15, 2024, India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Implementation (MoI) in Tokyo for the co-development of the Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN) mast. This technology is designed to improve the stealth capabilities of Indian Navy warships by integrating multiple communication systems into a single radar dome, thereby reducing their electronic signatures and making them harder to detect.

The agreement comes amidst rising concerns over China's military activities in the Indo-Pacific region. Both nations aim to bolster their defence cooperation, which includes discussions on reciprocal supply and services agreements to enhance interoperability between their armed forces.

This pact marks the first instance of military technology transfer between India and Japan, following a long-standing dialogue that began with an agreement on defence equipment transfer in 2015. The UNICORN mast technology has been under negotiation for nearly three years and is expected to be a cornerstone for future collaborations in defence manufacturing.

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), an Indian public sector undertaking, will play a crucial role in this project, collaborating with Japanese firms that developed the UNICORN technology. This partnership is seen as a vital step towards India achieving greater self-reliance in defense manufacturing and technology.

The discussions also hinted at exploring new areas of cooperation beyond naval technology, potentially including sectors like semiconductors and artificial intelligence, reflecting a broader strategic alignment between India and Japan within the framework of the QUAD alliance.