A Japanese military delegation visited India last week to explore possible facilities for conducting firing training for its Army to practise use of surface-to-ship missiles and small attack drones.
The Japanese Army is named the Ground Self-Defence Force (GSDF). Japanese media quoted GSDF Chief of Staff General Arai Masayoshi’s press conference on October 27 where he confirmed the development. “We had dispatched personnel to coordinate various matters with India.”
Public broadcaster NHK had earlier reported that Defence Ministry officials had travelled to India in mid-October and spent about one week inspecting test facilities and firing ranges.
These are exploratory talks, Arai said, adding, “When operating relatively long-range missiles, such as surface-to-ship missiles, conduct of training is a major challenge.”
India has extensive training facilities at Chandipur, on the coast of Odisha and uses the vast expanse of the Bay of Bengal to conduct its own missiles tests. Even the long-range missiles like the 5,000 km plus Agni-V are conducted from there.
Japan needs longer ranges to fire the missiles as it expands its capabilities to launch stand-off missiles which can reach targets hundreds of kilometres away at sea. The challenge is to train the personnel to deploy and operate these weapons.
Analysts have observed that Japan’s newly deployed Type 25 surface-to-ship guided missile has a range of some 1,000 km and that illustrates the growing training requirements.
The GSDF deployed the missile to Camp Kengun in Kumamoto Prefecture in its own country in March 2026. Media reported how, during an ongoing Japan-US joint exercise running from October 19 to 29, the GSDF demonstrated the Type 25 to reporters at a training area spanning Nagasaki and Saga prefectures. Personnel demonstrated procedures for deploying a mobile launcher and preparing it for firing, but no missile was launched.
This could deepen India-Japan cooperation
Access to training facilities in India could expand Japan’s options while creating opportunities for closer cooperation with New Delhi.
Japan’s latest Defence White Paper-2026 released on October 26 had described India as an ‘extremely important country’ and added ‘defence equipment and technology cooperation’ with India as important pillar of the relationship.
It cited New Delhi’s geographical position along key shipping lanes like the Strait of Malacca and mentioned the growing economic power and an expanding military heft.
The white paper said, “Japan considers defence equipment and technology cooperation with India as important.” This is based on the special strategic global partnership between Japan and India, the document added.
Meanwhile, the GSDF Chief, Arai, at his press conference said, “India is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific region, and we recognise the importance of promoting various forms of defence cooperation and exchanges amid an increasingly severe and complex security environment.”
