India signed a historic pact with Japan on September 10, allowing Delhi to expand its military cooperation with the east region’s most powerful nation. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a conference with his Japanese counterpart Prime Minister Shinzo Abe from their respective capitals over the phone and signed the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) in the presence of their envoys and diplomatic teams.
This cooperative framework was first proposed in 2018 by both country’s defense ministry representatives.
The pact will allow the Indian Navy to berth and fuel its warships in military bases of Japan during transoceanic deployment. It also allows one another to share logistics for operations and information on their common adversary. India is in talks with multiple allied nations for a similar pact that would increase its deployment reach to major sea routes to balance Chinese naval aggression.
“They concurred that the agreement will further enhance the depth of defense cooperation between the two countries and contribute to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region,” said the statement issued by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
With the changing dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region, a new frontier is being opened in the region. For the first time in history, India is sending its lead warships in the South China Sea and in other international waters to strengthen the course in freedom of navigation with Japan, U.S., and Australia.
The relations between India and Japan have touched new heights recently, and both countries have conducted many joint naval exercises in the region.
