With reference to the India-Japan defence cooperation, consider the following statements: 1. The UNICORN radar agreement was signed during a visit in July 2025. 2. The UNICORN radar system is a key component of the naval radar agreement. 3. Japan announced plans for Quad naval exercises near the Sea of Japan. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Japan urges India to speed up UNICORN radar deal amid Quad naval plans

GS2Polity · Governance · IR· India's bilateral relations· Prelims + Mains· 29 September 2026

India-Japan defence cooperation and FOIP framework: a key GS2 International Relations topic.

Why in news

A Japanese Ministry of Defence official urged India to expedite the internal processing of the UNICORN naval radar agreement signed during Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s July visit.

Background

The UNICORN naval radar agreement was signed during Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's visit to India in July 2026. Japan also announced plans for Quad naval exercises near the Sea of Japan and revisions to defence documents due to conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine.

Facts for Prelims

PostSanae Takaichi: Prime Minister of Japan (as of July 2026)
FactUNICORN: Naval radar system involved in the India-Japan defence agreement
PlaceSea of Japan: Location for planned Quad naval exercises
FactFOIP: Free and Open Indo-Pacific principles guiding military collaboration

Prelims practice question

With reference to the India-Japan defence cooperation, consider the following statements:

The UNICORN radar agreement was signed during a visit in July 2025.
The UNICORN radar system is a key component of the naval radar agreement.
Japan announced plans for Quad naval exercises near the Sea of Japan.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)1 only
(b)3 only
(c)1 and 3 only
(d)2 and 3 only

Show answer

Answer: (d) 2 and 3 only — Statements 2 and 3 are correct. Statement 1 is incorrect: The agreement was signed in July 2026.

For Mains

Q. Examine how the deepening of India-Japan defence cooperation under the FOIP framework serves as a strategic counterweight to regional maritime challenges.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

Strategic alignment: Integration of Indian naval capabilities with Quad maritime surveillance
Geopolitical shift: Defence document revisions necessitated by West Asia and Ukraine conflicts
Technological synergy: Impact of UNICORN radar acquisition on India's maritime domain awareness

Keywords: Free and Open Indo-Pacific · Maritime Domain Awareness · Strategic Autonomy · Defence Diplomacy · Quad Collaboration

Read the full news →Source: The Hindu ↗Also: GS3 · Defence technology

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This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.