Japan’s latest Defence White Paper, released on Monday, described India as an “extremely important country” and identified defence equipment and technology cooperation as an important pillar of bilateral ties.The document highlighted India’s geographical position along key shipping lanes, including the Strait of Malacca, as well as its growing economic power and expanding military capabilities.“Japan considers defence equipment and technology cooperation with India as important,” the white paper said, citing the two countries’ special strategic and global partnership.Japan will take the lead in promoting the appropriate overseas transfer of defence equipment and technology through further cooperation between the public and private sectors, it added.The document also referred to cooperation between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Japan’s Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA). ATLA has conducted feasibility studies to assess the potential needs of target countries, it said.The 616-page annual assessment described India as “the world’s largest democratic country” with “significant influence” in South Asia. It added that the international community had “high expectations” of India’s role as a geopolitical player.Japan’s restrictions on defence exports date back to 1967, when its Three Principles on Arms Exports placed limits on arms sales to certain countries. Tokyo eased its decades-old self-imposed ban on defence exports in 2014, although technology transfers remain tightly controlled.In March 2024, Japan changed its rules to allow the transfer of technology for the next-generation combat aircraft programme, known as the Tempest, in which the UK and Italy are partners.At the Japan-India summit in 2015, the two countries signed an agreement on the transfer of defence equipment and technology, which came into force in 2016. Since then, the two sides have held regular meetings on cooperation.In November 2024, Japan and India signed a Memorandum of Implementation (MOI) concerning the transfer of the Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN), installed on Japan’s Mogami-class frigates, to India. “Coordination toward the realisation of the transfer is ongoing,” the document said.A Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation, revised in August 2025, reaffirmed the two countries’ commitment to cooperation in defence equipment, emerging technologies and economic security.