New Delhi

India and Japan on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening maritime cooperation during the 22nd High-Level Meeting (HLM) between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) held in New Delhi.

The meeting was co-chaired by Director General of the Indian Coast Guard Paramesh Sivamani and Admiral Yoshio Saguchi, Commandant of the Japan Coast Guard, who is on a five-day official visit to India from January 13 to 17, leading a nine-member delegation.

During the discussions, both sides reviewed the existing framework of cooperation and explored avenues to enhance operational engagement. Key focus areas included Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR), Marine Pollution Response (MPR), Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE) and capacity building. The two Coast Guards emphasised the importance of sharing best practices, improving interoperability and sustaining structured exchanges under the existing Memorandum of Cooperation.

The delegations also discussed collaboration in emerging domains such as advanced technologies, information sharing, training programmes and personnel exchanges. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved since the previous High-Level Meeting and agreed on the need to maintain regular engagements at multiple levels.

With India currently holding the Presidency of the Coast Guard Global Summit (CGGS), the meeting also deliberated on strengthening cooperation in multilateral maritime forums. India is set to host the 5th CGGS along with the International Coast Guard Fleet Review (ICGFR), and Japan assured its participation through the deployment of its ship and aircraft.

The discussions took note of the India-Japan Joint Declaration of August 2025, which reaffirmed the shared commitment of both nations to a free, open, inclusive and rules-based maritime order. Both sides underscored the vital role of the ICG and JCG in translating this strategic vision into effective operational cooperation at sea.

As part of the visit programme, the Japanese delegation will travel to Mumbai from January 16 to 17, where they will undertake an industrial visit to Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited and participate in professional interactions aimed at strengthening maritime industrial and operational linkages.

A Japan Coast Guard National Strike Team is also visiting Mumbai to conduct a joint exercise with the ICG’s pollution response team, focusing on Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) spill response. The exercise is expected to enhance preparedness, coordination and mutual understanding in handling complex marine pollution incidents.

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The High-Level Meeting reaffirmed the strong and enduring partnership between the Indian and Japanese Coast Guards and highlighted their shared commitment to promoting maritime safety, security and environmental protection across the Indo-Pacific region.