00:00I was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1985 and a lot of young people are sitting here.
00:06And 1985 means nothing to you actually. It was a long time ago, so it is 41 years back.
00:15Yeah, time flies. So just make sure that you make use of every single day.
00:21Having said that, I am also aware that I was to come in the morning, for the morning session, but
00:32some pressing commitments precluded that.
00:35But once I did a commitment, then, you know, dash, dash, dash.
00:39And therefore, I had to come for the valedictory function.
00:45I am privileged to be standing here.
00:48I am grateful to the President of India Foundation, Dr. Ramadavji.
00:58His Excellency, Ambassador of Japan, and, of course, our Secretary East Former, Shri Jadiv Majumdarji.
01:09And more importantly, all of you, ladies and gentlemen, for being here, I am aware it has been a long
01:15day.
01:16And you are just waiting for me to finish and say thank you, and then you can go home or
01:20have a cup of tea.
01:22So, but just wait with me for a few minutes, when it has been a few hours, I am sure.
01:28So give me that. Thank you very much.
01:31As I said, it is a pleasure to be standing here and to speak on this very, very important topic
01:39of Indo-Japan cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
01:43And this is especially so because we will be celebrating the 75th year of our diplomatic relationship next year.
01:51And for all the young people who are the millennials, who are born in the 21st century,
01:58actually the relationship has just taken off in this 21st century.
02:04And courtesy of the two great leaders, I don't have to name them,
02:08I am sure the Ambassador is aware of his leader and we are aware of our leader.
02:13Many of the things which has been discussed today during the course
02:17and what even I will be discussing have been made possible largely because of the personal bond
02:25which was there between the two leaders and therefore it percolated to the population of two countries.
02:33I was in Japan last year and it was wonderful to interact with all strata of leadership
02:40as also see what Japan has done.
02:43Just to give you one trivia, Japan has been running the bullet trains since 1961 or 1962
02:53and fingers firmly crossed they have had 0% of accidents still now.
03:03Touch wood.
03:04So that is the level of technology and that is the level of resilience
03:10which is there in the system and certainly we are, we have to learn
03:16and that is how these, you know, events like this certainly help in that regard.
03:22Also, I am sure you are aware, all those who have travelled to Japan,
03:27that if a train is to arrive at a station at 0532, it will come at 0532,
03:33give or take few seconds.
03:35So that is the kind of importance which is there, of time which is there in that society.
03:42It was eye-opening for me certainly and I learned a lot.
03:47As I said, I want to thank Dr. Ramadharji for inviting me for this important deliberation
03:56and my compliments to the India Foundation for arranging this.
04:00I am aware that you keep doing many of these at various places.
04:03I have been getting invited for a certain number of, you know, such functions
04:10but because of the nature of the job and the constant travel, etc.,
04:15I have not been able to but thank God I am here today.
04:21I have also been told that over the course of today's conference,
04:26the deliberations have reflected the complexities and uncertainties
04:31of the multiplex world that we inhabit today.
04:39And what that means is the one that is undergoing a profound strategic inflection.
04:46In fact, I call it a strategic inflection decade.
04:51You give and take two years from 2020,
04:54whether it is pre-COVID, with post-COVID,
04:57the 10 years, we may be in the midst of that inflection decade
05:01and a lot of things are happening.
05:04I am sure all of you are aware.
05:06Some of it must have been discussed.
05:08Some was, I think, brought out by His Excellency.
05:12Where the long-stablished Westphalian values and norms face erosion
05:22and transactionalism is challenging the assumptions
05:26that predicated strategic behavior.
05:30In this context, as most of you had discussed during the course,
05:39I have been told the Indo-Pacific has emerged as the principal theater
05:43of what analysts call normative contestation,
05:48where the established norms and orders are being challenged
05:53due to competing visions and interests.
05:56As a result, the contours of the entire spectrum,
06:00that is competition, that is cooperation, that is even conflict,
06:06are undergoing significant shifts.
06:11I am told that many of the speakers and panelists
06:14did talk about critical minerals and rare earths
06:18also during the course of discussion.
06:20And it is increasingly clear that the competition today
06:26is no longer limited to the traditional resources for oil and energy,
06:32but resources that underpin future economic growth,
06:35and which goes even up to the seabed.
06:39As a result, we are seeing a sharp rise in marine survey activity
06:45and deep-sea research within the region.
06:50Increasingly, vessels engaged in these operations
06:55often opt to go dark,
06:58with AIS switched off or spoofed or manipulated,
07:03and intrude into littoral EZs or sensitive maritime zones,
07:10violating established rules and norms.
07:14These are indeed the emerging flashpoints in the region.
07:19Beyond resources, the region is witnessing intense competition for information.
07:27Recent disruptions in the Red Sea impacted up to 25% of Asia-Europe data flow,
07:39highlighting the fragility of the digital commons,
07:44where undersea cables and associated infrastructure
07:47have become critical choke points,
07:51that is rivaling the traditional maritime choke points,
07:54which we are now seeing, hearing, watching every single day.
07:59Yet, even as competition intensifies,
08:03cooperation within the Indo-Pacific is also adapting.
08:07The cooperation in the region till now was mainly anchored
08:11anchored in a dense and evolving network of multi-lateral constructs,
08:17such as ASEAN,
08:21such as the Western Pacific Naval Symposium,
08:27and, of course, the Indian Ocean Rim Association,
08:31amongst many others.
08:34However, it was pointed out, I believe,
08:36during one of the deliberations today,
08:39that cooperation cannot be judged
08:41by the strength of language alone,
08:45but by their collective action.
08:47And as a result,
08:49we are seeing the rise of mini-lateralism
08:53within broader multilateral frameworks,
08:57through flexible arrangements
08:59that bring together like-minded states
09:02around specific sub-regional and local problems,
09:06rather than having rigid blocks.
09:10Maritime military cooperation in the region too
09:13is undergoing a structural shift
09:15from episodic engagement
09:17to persistent presence
09:19by regional navies
09:21as well as extra-regional navies.
09:25The panel discussion
09:28reiterated
09:28that the capability
09:30brought by the cooperative engagement
09:32between the navies
09:33would remain critical
09:35to ensuring freedom of navigation
09:38and adherence to rules in the region.
09:41At the same time,
09:43increasing military geometry
09:45in the region
09:47also increases
09:47the risk of miscalculation
09:51escalating into a conflict,
09:53reinforcing
09:54what Clausewitz
09:55said that
09:57enduring in sight
09:58that the war is,
09:59above all,
10:01a realm of fog,
10:02friction,
10:03and uncertainty.
10:05Now add to this
10:06another complexity
10:08which stood out
10:09during the deliberations
10:11to the day
10:12of modern technology
10:14lowering the threshold
10:16for disruption.
10:18Drones,
10:19uncrewed systems,
10:20and maneuvering mines,
10:23etc.,
10:24now threaten
10:25critical choke points
10:27such as
10:28the states of Hormuz
10:30even without
10:31a formal announcement
10:32of blockade.
10:34For energy-importing nations
10:37like Japan and India
10:38which import
10:40about 95%
10:42and 80% plus
10:44of our energy
10:45respectively,
10:46through these
10:47global commons,
10:48the fallout
10:50of any such
10:51disruption
10:51is both
10:52immediate
10:52and far-reaching
10:53and which
10:54we are witnessing
10:55as we speak.
10:57Beyond kinetic effects,
11:00non-kinetic threats
11:01such as
11:02maritime cyber attacks
11:03have doubled
11:05in 2025.
11:07Further,
11:09things like
11:10GPS spoofing
11:11and denial
11:12of satellite services
11:13have caused
11:14vessels
11:14to even run
11:16aground
11:16and disrupted
11:18commercial operations
11:20without a single
11:20shot being fired.
11:22Taken together,
11:24these shifting
11:25contours of
11:26competition,
11:28cooperation,
11:28and conflict
11:29underscore that
11:31the Indo-Pacific
11:32remains the
11:33world's most
11:34vibrant
11:34yet volatile
11:37theater.
11:38As one of the
11:39panel discussions
11:40brought out
11:41why the
11:42agencies such as
11:43the United Nations
11:44may have become
11:45the last
11:45port of call
11:46in crisis,
11:49I still don't
11:50believe.
11:52UNCLOS
11:52will continue
11:54to provide
11:54a foundational
11:56framework
11:56for predictable
11:58rule-based
11:58behavior at sea.
12:00Similarly,
12:01the enduring
12:02vision of
12:03free and
12:04open Indo-Pacific
12:06and
12:07Mahasagar
12:08continue to
12:09guide cooperation
12:10and shaping
12:11behavior across
12:12the region
12:13and even
12:14beyond.
12:14So there
12:15is hope.
12:16Guided by
12:17these visions,
12:18our two
12:18maritime nations,
12:19India and
12:19Japan,
12:21have been at
12:21the forefront,
12:23literally and
12:24figuratively,
12:25at the forefront
12:26of promoting
12:27security and
12:29stability at sea,
12:31not only by
12:32their shared
12:34intent,
12:34but increasingly
12:36by shared
12:37action.
12:39As
12:39Excellency
12:42Mr.
12:43Ono Kitchi
12:43also called
12:44the two
12:44nations,
12:45I think,
12:45in the
12:45morning,
12:46action-oriented
12:47partners,
12:49that is,
12:51I fully
12:52conquer with
12:52that.
12:54Such words
12:55have found
12:56operational
12:57convergence
12:58in the
12:59Gulf of
12:59Hayden
13:00and
13:01adjoining
13:02waters,
13:03where our
13:03navies have
13:04operated for
13:04more than
13:0515 years
13:06together.
13:09Our
13:09joint
13:10exercises,
13:11such as
13:11Malabar,
13:13Gimex,
13:13which we have
13:14known,
13:14named Gimex,
13:16and Milan
13:18in the
13:19maritime domain,
13:20as well as
13:20Dharma
13:20Guardian on
13:21land,
13:23and Veer
13:23Guardian and
13:24Shinyu,
13:25Matri in the
13:26air domain,
13:27have been
13:28consistently
13:28expanding in
13:29both scale
13:31and sophistication
13:32to address
13:34challenges across
13:34the spectrum
13:35of operations.
13:37We are also
13:38working together
13:39to further
13:39strengthen
13:40information-sharing
13:41arrangements to
13:43enhance
13:43maritime domain
13:44awareness across
13:45the Indo-Pacific.
13:46These combined
13:48efforts are
13:49reinforced through
13:51platforms such
13:52as the
13:52Indo-Indian
13:54Ocean Naval
13:55Symposium,
13:55that is IONS,
13:56Indo-Pacific
13:58Platform for
13:59Maritime
13:59Domain
14:00Awareness,
14:00that is IPMDA,
14:02and our
14:04own IFCIOR,
14:06which contribute
14:06directly to
14:08maritime security,
14:09capacity building,
14:10HADR,
14:11and the
14:12promotion of
14:12a rule-based
14:13order at sea.
14:15Not
14:15standing these
14:16existing
14:17convergences,
14:19as Dr.
14:20Ram Madhau
14:20said during
14:21his inaugural
14:22address,
14:22that taking
14:24this partnership
14:24forward requires
14:26a continuous
14:27rethinking of
14:29approaches,
14:30aligned with
14:31the evolving
14:31realities of
14:32the Indo-Pacific.
14:34In that
14:35context,
14:36today's
14:37deliberations have
14:38indeed thrown
14:39forward multiple
14:40lines of
14:42efforts of
14:43extreme
14:43relevance.
14:45One
14:46constant theme
14:48seemed to have
14:49stood out in
14:51these recommendations
14:52is that the
14:53real strength
14:53of our
14:54partnership and
14:55future
14:56convergence may
14:57lie in what
14:59they call
14:59complementarity,
15:02rooted in the
15:03enduring logic
15:04by the author
15:06Adam Smith,
15:08that distinct
15:08capabilities,
15:09when aligned,
15:11create the
15:11greater collective
15:12strength.
15:15We, India,
15:16with nearly
15:172.5 million
15:18STEM graduates
15:19added annually,
15:21and one of
15:22the world's
15:23fastest-growing
15:24startup ecosystem
15:25brings scale,
15:28brings talent,
15:29and brings
15:30market depth.
15:32On the other
15:33hand, Japan,
15:35with its global
15:36leadership in
15:37high-tech
15:38manufacturing,
15:39precision
15:40engineering,
15:41and capital
15:42investment,
15:43brings technological
15:45depth, quality,
15:46and experience.
15:47together,
15:49these complementarities
15:51could provide
15:53a powerful
15:54foundation to
15:56shape maritime
15:56capability and
15:58resilience across
15:59the Indo-Pacific,
16:01along three clear
16:03lines of effort.
16:04First is the
16:05industrial cooperation
16:06and resilience.
16:08The deliberations
16:09today pointed out
16:10that both sides
16:12need to enhance
16:15further their
16:16industrial engagement
16:17towards economic
16:18security,
16:19resilient supply
16:20lines, and
16:22cooperation in
16:23critical minerals.
16:24Within this
16:25framework,
16:27India's push for
16:28adh-nirbharta and
16:29defense manufacturing,
16:31combined with
16:32Japan's expertise
16:33in high-quality
16:34shipbuilding and
16:36system instigation,
16:37opens avenues for
16:39co-development and
16:41co-production across
16:42naval and
16:44commercial maritime
16:45scenes.
16:48As Ambassador
16:49Kechi also
16:50mentioned,
16:51co-development of
16:53the advanced
16:54unicorn mast for
16:56our Navy is a
16:58step in the right
16:59direction.
17:00Further
17:01opportunity lies
17:02in taking such
17:03collaboration into
17:04critical domains
17:04such as marine
17:06propulsion, advanced
17:08weapons, and
17:09next-generation
17:10sensors.
17:12Second is the
17:13emerging technologies
17:14which have been
17:16widely spoken about.
17:18Collaboration in
17:19areas such as
17:20autonomous systems,
17:22AI, and
17:24quantum technologies
17:25should not only
17:26enhance operational
17:27effectiveness, but
17:29must also focus
17:30on positioning
17:32responsible nations
17:33such as India and
17:34Japan as key
17:36stakeholders in
17:39shaping norms and
17:40governance frameworks
17:41in these domains.
17:43And third is
17:45strengthening the
17:46expansion and
17:48resilience of
17:49infrastructure.
17:50As the
17:51deliberation suggested,
17:53there exists a
17:54significant scope for
17:56enhancing cooperation
17:56in the field of
17:58connectivity across
17:59both physical and
18:01digital domains.
18:01in the physical
18:03realm, this
18:05includes maritime
18:06ports, transport
18:08corridors, and
18:09climate-resilient
18:10infrastructure.
18:12At the same time,
18:13both sides can
18:14work together to
18:15strengthen the
18:16protection of
18:19critical undersea
18:20infrastructure and
18:22enhance the
18:22cyber-resilience of
18:24the maritime sector,
18:26not only for the
18:27two nations, but
18:28also for all in the
18:30region.
18:31So, ladies
18:32gentlemen, to
18:34conclude, as
18:36they say in
18:36Japan,
18:46which for all of
18:48us means the
18:49future is built
18:51together.
18:53This very closely
18:55resonates with our
18:57own Indian ethos of
18:58Vasudeva Kutumukam,
19:00that is, the
19:00word is one
19:01family.
19:02I am certain that
19:03India and Japan,
19:04our partnership will
19:06grow by leaps and
19:07bounds in the years
19:09to come, becoming a
19:10centerpiece of
19:11promoting stability and
19:13security in the
19:14Indo-Pacific.
19:15I have exercised with
19:16the Japanese Navy.
19:18I have been to
19:19Japan.
19:20I have hosted
19:20Japanese personnel when
19:22I was wherever,
19:24whichever capacity.
19:24So, I am aware of
19:26the avenues and
19:28opportunities which
19:29are there, and I
19:30have no doubt that
19:32the Indo-Japanese
19:32partnership is going
19:34to just go up to
19:35several layers up.
19:37With this, I would
19:39once again like to
19:40thank Dr. Ram
19:41Mathurji and the
19:43India Foundation for
19:45giving me this
19:46opportunity.
19:48Jai Hind.
19:50Arigato.
19:51Gozai Maso.
19:54Gozai Maso.
19:55Gozai Maso.
19:56Gozai Maso.
19:57Can't you
19:57You have a
19:58Be careful.
