NEW DELHI: India has welcomed Japan’s review of its “Three Principles on Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology”, saying the move could significantly expand the scope of bilateral defence cooperation and industrial collaboration between the two countries.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday said the step aligns with the growing trajectory of ties under the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
“India welcomes Japan’s review of the Three Principles on Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology. Defence and security cooperation forms an important pillar of the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership,” he said.
Jaiswal further noted that both sides have committed to deepen practical cooperation in line with their Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation, including “promotion and facilitation of technological and industrial collaboration between government entities and private sector stakeholders for resilience in sectors critical to national security.”
Japan’s Three Principles, first introduced to regulate defence exports, had for decades imposed strict limits on the transfer of military equipment and technology, reflecting Tokyo’s post-war pacifist posture.
The ongoing review aims to ease some of these constraints, allowing transfers under tighter but more flexible conditions, particularly to trusted partners.
The shift is expected to open avenues for co-development of defence platforms, supply chain integration and technology sharing, areas of growing interest for India as it seeks to boost domestic manufacturing and diversify its defence partnerships, especially in high-technology and dual-use sectors.
India and Japan have steadily expanded defence engagement over the past decade through joint exercises, maritime cooperation and institutional mechanisms including the 2+2 dialogue.
The revised framework, however, is expected to add new momentum to the partnership, with the pace and scale of cooperation likely to depend on how Tokyo implements the changes in practice.