India is one of the few countries with which Japan has inked a significant agreement for reciprocal supply and service provision between their defence forces in order to promote closer military cooperation and contribute to Indo-Pacific security. In Septe

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Digital Desk: Japan intends to allow the shipment of lethal military equipment, such as missiles and fighter jets, to India and 11 other nations, a step that might enhance New Delhi's and Tokyo's defence industry cooperation efforts.

According to a Nikkei report, regulations would be loosened by March next year to allow shipments to India, Australia, and other European and Southeast Asian countries. In 2014, Japan created a principle for the transfer of defence equipment and relaxed laws prohibiting its export. However, exports of lethal weapons are still prohibited.

The news comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida pledged to strengthen bilateral security and defence cooperation, especially in defence manufacturing, at a meeting on the sidelines of the Quad Leaders Summit in Tokyo.

India is one of the few countries with which Japan has inked a significant agreement for reciprocal supply and service provision between their defence forces in order to promote closer military cooperation and contribute to Indo-Pacific security. In September 2020, Japan's Self-Defense Forces and India's military inked the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA).

According to the Nikkei, the Japanese government also wants to "increase deterrence against China by cooperating with countries that have signed individual security accords with Tokyo." Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Italy are among these countries.

Defence exports to countries that do not jointly develop weaponry with Japan are limited to equipment for rescue, transport, warning, surveillance, and minesweeping tasks, according to the 2014 principle. The new defence export rules will be part of the Japanese government's economic and fiscal management and reform agenda, which will be finalised in June.

After Japan's National Security Strategy is finalised by the end of this year, the defence export principle will be changed.