India-Japan conducted joint maritime exercise along Kochi Coast

India and Japan held joint exercise in Kochi Coast on 14 January 2014. Indian Cost Guard Ship ICGS Samrat and Japan Coast Guard Ship JCG Mizuho participated in the exercise.

Joint exercises between India and Japan Coast Guards included cross-deck landing, anti-piracy drills, search and rescue demonstration and a fire fighting demonstration.

The Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) was signed between India and Japan Coast Guards in the year 2006. The MoC provides that two countries Guards will meet annually to discuss maritime issues of mutual concerns and formulate a cooperative approach to address.

• Anti-piracy procedures
• Pollution control measures
• Other areas of common measures and other areas of common professional interest.

Earlier Malabar 2007 was performed between Self-Defence Forces of Japan and the Indian Navy as a joint naval exercise in the Indian Ocean. Besides, the naval forces of US, Australia and Singapore were participated in the Malabar 2007. The 2007 year was declared as India-Japan Friendship Year.