India Japan Defence Meet: Pahalgam Attack Sparks Renewed Solidarity

In a strong show of solidarity, Japan’s Defence Minister General Nakatani conveyed deep condolences to India on the recent Pahalgam terror attack at the India-Japan Defence Ministerial Meeting in New Delhi on Monday. The attack on April 22 in Jammu and Kashmir killed 26 people, including a Nepalese tourist, and evoked strong international condemnation.

In his opening remarks, General Nakatani denounced the act in strongest possible terms stating, “Terrorism cannot be justified for any reason. Japan strongly condemns all forms of terrorism.”

He reiterated Japan’s unshakeable commitment towards combating terrorism and reinforced the significance of Indo-Japanese cooperation in security and peace issues.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh responded warmly, thanking Japan for its support and solidarity.

“I would like to thank the government of Japan for their strong expression of solidarity with India in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack,” Singh said.

He continued to commend the increasing strategic alliance between the two countries, terming the defence cooperation “a pillar of the Indo-Japanese relationship”.

General Nakatani further mentioned that it was the second time in six months that defence ministers of the two nations met, after their previous discussion at Laos, showing the increasing pace and intensity of their bilateral relations. He had received a ceremonial Guard of Honour earlier in the day in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Apart from today’s diplomacy, Japanese support for India is traced back to the early 20th century. Japan played a crucial role in supporting Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army (INA) during India’s struggle for independence. In World War II, Japan assisted Bose in forming the INA and provided military, logistic, and financial support in the fight against British colonialism.

The Japanese assistance allowed Bose to lead the INA from Southeast Asia and engage in a war against British troops in the Indian North East. The call of “Give me blood and I will give you freedom” rang with even more power through Japanese collaboration. Despite eventual military failure, the efforts of the INA made a permanent impact on India’s struggle for independence and a lasting legacy of Indo-Japanese friendship.

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Today, Japan stands with India not only as a contemporary strategic ally but also as a centuries-old ally which once stood shoulder-to-shoulder with India in its freedom struggle. While both nations forge ahead with the deepening of their Special Strategic and Global Partnership since 2014, the common values of peace, stability, and respect for each other continue to form the foundation of a bond consolidated over centuries.