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Rajnath Singh links MAHASAGAR vision with Japan's FOIP
NDTV··20 Aug
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in New Delhi that aligning India's MAHASAGAR vision with Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific initiative is more important than ever. MAHASAGAR stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions. Singh said Indian Ocean and Pacific security are interlinked. Koizumi was on his first official India visit.
Prism
What It Means For You
- If you follow India-Japan defence meetings, Thursday's Delhi round placed MAHASAGAR next to Japan's FOIP as the frame for maritime work.
- Anyone tracking naval visits can note Koizumi's delegation stopped at the Western Naval Command in Mumbai before the capital talks.
- If you are watching disaster diplomacy, Singh expressed solidarity after the Kumamoto earthquake and said India would provide relief if asked.
What's Happening
- Singh welcomed Koizumi and said the security of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean is deeply interlinked.
- The ministers discussed military interoperability, defence manufacturing and a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific, the Tribune reported.
- A maritime security memorandum of agreement was announced the same day in related coverage of the visit.
What MAHASAGAR And FOIP Are Being Asked To Do Together
- MAHASAGAR is India's stated framework for security and growth across regions; FOIP is Japan's long-running Free and Open Indo-Pacific policy.
- Singh described unimpeded lawful commerce and overflight as both an economic necessity and a strategic imperative amid what he called growing vulnerabilities on maritime routes.
- The visit is Koizumi's first to India as defence minister, which both sides treated as a chance to set a longer interoperability and technology roadmap.
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