India, Japan to collaborate on defence, critical minerals

New Delhi: India and Japan will promote defence industrial collaboration between government entities and private sector stakeholders and work jointly in the field of critical minerals, including exploration, processing and refining under a new pact signed during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a joint declaration on security cooperation, the two sides have named technological and industrial collaboration as a key pillar, specifically mentioning an increase in private sector collaboration and exchange of information on research and development. They also agreed on increasing cooperation between their special forces.

In particular, the two sides have agreed to explore opportunities for co-development and co-production of equipment and technology geared towards their current and future security needs. At present there is limited technology sharing on the defence side and among the few projects being worked on is development of high technology masts for submarines. Japan, which has been gradually opening up its defence sector for exports and collaborations, has access to cutting edge technologies, specially in the maritime sector that can be useful to India.