'India surrounded by China in many ways': Japan's Ex-defence vice minister calls for stronger defence ties

Japan's former Vice-Minister of Defence for International Affairs, Hideshi Tokuchi, has called for India and Japan to deepen their defence partnership, saying New Delhi faces growing security challenges from China's military presence, its support for Pakistan and its expanding footprint in the Indian Ocean.

Speaking to ANI in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the three-day Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) 2026 in New Delhi, Tokuchi said the changing security environment made closer cooperation between the two countries increasingly important.

"India is surrounded by China in many ways, by the Chinese ground force in the north and by the Chinese weapons by Pakistan and also China's maritime expansion in the Indian Ocean," he said.

Tokuchi pointed to Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi's visit to India in August and the defence cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed during the visit as an important step towards closer ties.

The MoU focuses on strengthening maritime security cooperation through information sharing, maritime domain awareness and coordination between the Indian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

He said there was significant scope for expanding cooperation in defence technology, equipment and ship repair.

"Technology, equipment cooperation and also ship repair, those issues are very much important because India and Japan both are maritime countries and we share major maritime transit. So it is very important to further cooperate, particularly on maritime security," Tokuchi said.

He also highlighted the growing rivalry between the United States and China as another reason for strengthening cooperation across the Indo-Pacific, particularly in the maritime domain.

"The intensifying rivalry of major powers, particularly the United States and China, particularly in this region, maritime domain," he said.

Drawing parallels between India's security concerns and Japan's own challenges, Tokuchi said Tokyo was facing increasing pressure from the expanding presence of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and the Chinese Coast Guard.

"Japan is also under this big naval and also maritime law enforcement pressure from China. The expansion of the Chinese PLA Navy and also China's coast guard. We have the same common threat perceptions. So we can do a lot more in order to ensure maritime security," he said.

His remarks came as New Delhi hosted the 2026 edition of the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue under the theme 'Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific'. The three-day conference brings together policymakers, military officials and experts to discuss ways to strengthen maritime security across the Indo-Pacific region.

(With ANI inputs)