Japan and India’s Secret Strategy: Strengthening Space and Cyber Forces to Take on China

Yonhap News

Japan and India have agreed to strengthen their alliances with space and cyber fields to counter China.

Kyodo News reported that Japan and India held a foreign and defense ministers’ meeting (2+2) in New Delhi the day before, where they agreed to strengthen collaboration. The Japanese delegation included Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, while India’s delegation comprised Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.

This was the third 2+2 meeting since the inaugural conference in November 2019. The meetings appear part of broader efforts to counter China’s increasing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Following the meeting, the two countries issued a joint statement addressing military activities in the Indo-Pacific. Although they did not directly name China, the statement called for peaceful resolutions to disputes without resorting to threats or using force. It emphasized the importance of all relevant countries avoiding any unilateral actions that could alter the status quo.

The two nations also agreed to begin discussions on revising the 2008 “Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation.” These revisions will focus on addressing China’s expanding maritime activities. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi may visit Japan later this year to sign the updated declaration with Japan’s next Prime Minister.

Additionally, the countries committed to strengthening their engagement with the Quad security framework, which includes bilateral and multilateral military training with other member nations such as the U.S. and Australia.

The joint statement also included the transfer of the Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN), similar to the one mounted on Japan’s new escort ship. Additionally, the statement highlighted the need to accelerate cooperation in defense equipment and technology. If the UNICORN transfer proceeds, it will mark the first implementation of the defense equipment and technology transfer treaty signed by the two countries in 2015.