India and Japan hold 8th Defence Policy Dialogue in Tokyo

📌 Summary:

• India and Japan held their 8th Defence Policy Dialogue in Tokyo on 13 July 2026, co-chaired by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Japan's Vice Minister of Defence for International Affairs Kano Koji
• Both sides reviewed progress in bilateral defence cooperation under the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership
• Discussions spanned military-to-military exchanges, cooperation between joint headquarters, maritime cooperation, defence exercises, capacity building, and defence equipment & technology (including maritime technology)
• Agreed to deepen cooperation in emerging domains: defence industrial collaboration, cyber security and space
• Discussed forthcoming Ministerial visits, including the 2+2 dialogue later this year
• Reaffirmed commitment to a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific founded on respect for international law

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 (IR) — India's bilateral defence partnerships, Indo-Pacific strategy, Act East policy.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• The India-Japan relationship is termed a "Special Strategic and Global Partnership"
• The 2+2 dialogue brings together the Foreign and Defence Ministers of both countries
• India and Japan participate together in the Malabar naval exercise and the Quad

🔑 Key Term: 2+2 Dialogue — a format in which the foreign and defence ministers of two countries meet jointly to coordinate strategic and security cooperation.