India, Indonesia and Japan are laying the groundwork for a trilateral defence framework as the three countries expand security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. The discussions come amid growing engagement through military exercises, defence technology and maritime cooperation.
The move gained momentum after Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met in India in August. During their discussions, the two sides agreed on the importance of promoting trilateral cooperation with Indonesia.
The three countries have already increased defence engagement through joint activities. India and Indonesia held their first bilateral naval exercise in the Andaman Sea near the Malacca Strait in February 2026.
New Delhi and Jakarta also signed a $600 million defence package in July covering Indian-made BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. Japan, meanwhile, deployed fighter aircraft to India for Exercise Veer Guardian in September, marking its first such deployment to the country.
Potential areas for trilateral cooperation include maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster response. The countries could also expand coordination through naval exercises and maritime domain awareness initiatives.
The emerging framework would add another layer to existing regional security arrangements. Indonesia has continued to expand defence ties with multiple partners while maintaining its policy of keeping ASEAN central to regional cooperation.
For India and Japan, the proposed cooperation also follows their efforts to deepen defence industrial ties. Both countries have discussed expanding collaboration with third countries through high-level exchanges, military exercises and other initiatives.
