India and Japan Commit to Deepening Bilateral Maritime Cooperation
India and Japan have agreed to enhance their cooperation across a broad spectrum of maritime activities, following a productive high-level bilateral meeting held in Oslo, Norway, today, Monday, June 2nd. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, and His Excellency Terada Yoshimichi, Japan’s Vice Minister for International Affairs (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism - MLITT), spearheaded the discussions aimed at fostering a sustainable and mutually beneficial maritime future.
Broadening Scope of Maritime Partnership
The dialogue covered several key areas for potential collaboration and investment. These included encouraging Japanese investment in Indian shipbuilding, with specific mention of exploring joint ventures with leading Japanese firms like Imabari Shipbuilding. Opportunities in port modernization, encompassing digitization and green port initiatives, were also prominent. A significant focus was placed on the potential for joint development of India's Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands into "Smart Islands," leveraging Japan's expertise in sustainable technologies, smart mobility, and digital infrastructure. Both sides also discussed enhancing R&D cooperation and increasing the employment and upskilling of India's considerable pool of trained seafarers (over 154,000) within Japan's maritime sector.
Strong Bilateral Foundations
Minister Sonowal highlighted India's ambitious "Maritime India Vision 2030" and "Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047," inviting Japanese participation in these transformative initiatives. He underscored the existing strong ties rooted in mutual trust, shared values, and collaborations under frameworks like the Quad and the India-Japan-Australia Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI). Vice Minister Yoshimichi acknowledged the "very intimate relationship" between the two nations, noting Japan's existing engagement in India's railway infrastructure and expressing strong new interest in the maritime sector. He confirmed positive discussions on shipbuilding and seafarer training. Both ministers expressed satisfaction with the meeting and agreed to further strengthen collaboration, particularly on sustainable maritime technologies.
The Oslo meeting between Indian and Japanese ministers marks a significant step towards elevating their maritime partnership. With expressed commitments to explore investments, share expertise in areas like shipbuilding and sustainable port development, and enhance human resource collaboration, both nations are poised to build a more robust and advanced maritime cooperation framework, contributing to regional stability and mutual economic progress.
