India and Japan are set to intensify their defence-industrial collaboration, focusing on advanced technologies such as the “Unicorn” stealth antenna system for warships. This collaboration also aims to enhance military interoperability through joint combat exercises and cooperation in space and cyber domains, particularly in response to China’s assertive actions in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Unicorn system, officially known as the ‘unified complex radio antenna,’ was highlighted by Japanese Defence Minister Minoru Kihara during the recent 2-plus-2 ministerial dialogue in New Delhi. This innovative system consolidates multiple warship antennas into a single, horn-shaped structure, reducing the vessel’s radar signature and making it less detectable by enemy forces.
The joint statement issued after the dialogue noted the successful cooperation between India and Japan in the fields of unmanned ground vehicles and robotics. It also acknowledged the progress made in the transfer of the Unicorn system and related technologies, with an emphasis on the early finalization of related agreements. Discussions regarding the Unicorn system, which has the capability to detect missile and drone movements by sensing radio waves over a wide area, have been ongoing for several years. According to an official, “India is keen on inducting at least a limited number of such systems and technology transfer to make its warships more stealthy.”
During a separate meeting with Kihara, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed India’s desire to collaborate with Japan to strengthen its domestic defence-industrial capabilities and achieve the goal of becoming a global manufacturing hub. In the context of China’s expansionist activities and “grey zone” tactics in the Indo-Pacific, Singh emphasized that the partnership with Japan is “the key to peace and stability” in the region. He remarked, “As two significant stakeholders in the Indo-Pacific, India and Japan, in many ways, are the important sentinels for the region. India and Japan have a shared vision of the Indo-Pacific. There is growing convergence and common outlook on issues of peace, security, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Both countries also welcomed the increasing diversity and frequency of their defence exercises and exchanges, resolving to further expand the scope and complexity of these engagements. Japan is currently participating in India’s multi-nation “Tarang Shakti” air combat exercise. This follows the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) deployment of four Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, two C-17 Globemaster-III strategic lift aircraft, and one IL-78 mid-air refueler for the inaugural air combat exercise with Japan, “Veer Guardian,” held at the Hyakuri air base last year. Additionally, Japan is scheduled to participate in the top-tier Malabar naval exercise, which India will host in the Bay of Bengal in October. Originally a bilateral exercise between India and the US starting in 1992, the Malabar exercise now regularly includes Japan and Australia.
Editorial Team
