Chennai, July 7, 2025 — In a strong display of growing maritime cooperation, the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) ship Itsukushima, commanded by Captain Naoki Mizoguchi, arrived at Chennai Port on Monday as part of its Global Ocean Voyage Training. The visit underscores the deepening strategic partnership between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and JCG in the Indo-Pacific region.
A Week of Strategic Engagement and Cultural Exchange
The week-long port call will feature a series of high-level engagements, including bilateral meetings, joint professional and cultural exchanges, and a culminating joint sea exercise named Jaa Mata (“see you later”) on July 12, 2025.
The visiting crew is scheduled to participate in:
- Courtesy calls with Indian Coast Guard officials
- Reciprocal ship visits
- Joint training activities
- Sporting events and yoga sessions
These events are aimed at enhancing mutual understanding and operational interoperability between the two maritime forces.
Professional Exchange: ICG Officers to Sail to Singapore
In a symbolic and strategic gesture of continued cooperation, four Indian Coast Guard officers will join Itsukushima as Sea Riders on its onward voyage to Singapore. This exchange follows a longstanding tradition of officer-level interaction and knowledge sharing between the two nations’ coast guards.
A Growing Partnership in the Indo-Pacific
This engagement is part of the broader bilateral framework established under the 2006 Memorandum of Cooperation between India and Japan. It is aligned with key regional maritime doctrines such as:
India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision
The Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)
The cooperation reflects shared concerns over maritime security, the rule of law, and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific, strengthening both countries’ roles as key players in ensuring regional stability.
