14 January 2026·PIB

22nd High-level meeting between Indian Coast Guard and Japan Coast Guard held in New Delhi

In this note

1. At a Glance

Annual institutional dialogue between Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Japan Coast Guard (JCG) — the 22nd edition held in New Delhi on 14 January 2026 [1].
Reaffirms a free, open and rules-based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific and is the operational arm of the broader India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership [1].
Relevant for Prelims (institutional facts, MoUs) and GS-II/III Mains (Indo-Pacific, maritime security, SAGAR vision).

22nd HLM held on 14 January 2026 in New Delhi, co-chaired by DG Paramesh Sivamani (ICG) and Admiral Yoshio Saguchi, Commandant JCG [1].
JCG Commandant led a 9-member delegation on an official visit 13–17 January 2026, including a Mumbai leg with a visit to Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. and a joint Hazardous & Noxious Substances (HNS) spill response exercise between JCG's National Strike Team and ICG's pollution response team [1].

2000: First MoU between ICG and JCG signed during Japanese PM Yoshiro Mori's visit; institutionalised annual high-level meetings and the joint exercise "Sahyog–Kaijin" (Search & Rescue / Anti-Piracy) [2].
2006: Broader India-Japan Memorandum of Cooperation strengthening maritime engagement, aligned later with SAGAR and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) [2].
HLMs held alternately in India and Japan; reached 22nd edition in 2026 [1].
Recent linked engagement: JCG ship 'Itsukushima' visit to Chennai (2025), with 4 ICG officers sailing as Sea Riders to Singapore [2].

Parent Ministry (ICG): Ministry of Defence, Government of India [1].
Statutory base of ICG: Coast Guard Act, 1978; ICG raised on 1 February 1977 (50th Raising Day marked in 2026) [3].
JCG: Civilian maritime law-enforcement agency under Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT).
Co-chairs (2026): DG Paramesh Sivamani (ICG); Adm. Yoshio Saguchi (JCG Commandant) [1].
Venue & Date: New Delhi, 14 January 2026 [1].
Key cooperation pillars discussed: Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR), Marine Pollution Response (MPR), Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE), and capacity building [1].
Joint exercise: "Sahyog–Kaijin" (held alternately off Indian/Japanese coasts) [2].

Geopolitical / Strategic: Anchors the Indo-Pacific "free, open and rules-based maritime order" narrative shared by Quad members; counterweight to coercive maritime conduct in the region [1].
Administrative / Operational: Builds interoperability in non-traditional security domains — SAR, oil-spill and HNS response — without escalating to navy-level posture [1].
Scientific / Technological: Joint HNS spill response drill at Mumbai signals knowledge transfer on advanced chemical-spill containment; visit to Mazagon Dock ties into shipbuilding/defence-industrial cooperation [1].
Legal: Operates under the 2006 MoC and prior 2000 ICG-JCG MoU; consistent with UNCLOS 1982 obligations on SAR and pollution response [2].
Economic: Secures Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs) in the Indian Ocean — critical for Japan's energy imports (~80% of crude transits via IOR).

Jan 14, 2026: 22nd ICG-JCG HLM, New Delhi [1].
Jan 16–17, 2026: JCG delegation visited Mumbai; joint HNS-spill drill with ICG [1].
2025: JCG ship Itsukushima port call at Chennai; ICG Sea Rider exchange to Singapore [2].
2025: India announced it will host the 5th Coast Guard Global Summit in Chennai in 2027 [4].
2024: ICG participated in the 20th Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM) [5].

22nd ICG-JCG HLM held in New Delhi, not Tokyo, on 14 Jan 2026 [1].
ICG DG in 2026: Paramesh Sivamani [1].
JCG Commandant in 2026: Admiral Yoshio Saguchi [1].
First ICG-JCG MoU signed in 2000 during PM Mori's visit [2].
Joint India-Japan Coast Guard exercise is named "Sahyog–Kaijin" [2].
ICG is governed by the Coast Guard Act, 1978, under the Ministry of Defence [3].
Four pillars of 2026 discussion: SAR, MPR, MLE, capacity building [1].
JCG's National Strike Team conducted the joint HNS spill exercise at Mumbai [1].
JCG delegation visited Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited [1].
India to host the 5th Coast Guard Global Summit in Chennai, 2027 [4].
JCG ship that visited Chennai in 2025: Itsukushima [2].
The forum operates under the 2006 India-Japan Memorandum of Cooperation [2].

GS-II: International Relations — "Bilateral, regional and global groupings involving India"; India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
GS-III: Internal Security — "Security challenges and their management in coastal areas".
Probable stems: 1. "India-Japan Coast Guard cooperation is a quiet but central pillar of the Indo-Pacific architecture. Examine." 2. "Discuss how non-traditional maritime security cooperation (SAR, MPR) complements India's SAGAR vision." 3. "Evaluate the role of the Indian Coast Guard in safeguarding India's maritime interests in the IOR."

SAGAR / MAHASAGAR vision — overarching maritime doctrine.
Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) — Japan is lead partner for "Connectivity" pillar.
Quad (India-US-Japan-Australia) & IPMDA — maritime domain awareness.
Coast Guard Act, 1978 & ICG structure — Prelims-heavy.
HACGAM — Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting [5].
India-Japan 2+2 Dialogue & Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation (2008/2024 update) [2].
UNCLOS 1982 — SAR and marine pollution obligations.
Exercises: Malabar, JIMEX, Dharma Guardian, Sahyog-Kaijin — distinguish service-wise.

ICG ≠ Indian Navy: ICG is under MoD but is a separate armed force of the Union under the Coast Guard Act 1978, not the Navy Act.
JCG is civilian (under MLIT), unlike ICG which is an armed force — a frequent confusion.
"Sahyog-Kaijin" is ICG-JCG; JIMEX is Indian Navy-JMSDF — do not conflate.
The MoC base year is 2006, but the first ICG-JCG MoU was in 2000 — both dates are testable.
Venue of 22nd HLM was New Delhi (India hosts in even years pattern; do not assume Tokyo).