Chennai, July 12, 2025: Japan Coast Guard (JCG) training vessel Itsukushima successfully concluded its five-day port call to Chennai on Friday, marking a significant milestone in Indo-Japan maritime cooperation. The visit, held from July 7 to 12, was part of JCG’s Global Ocean Voyage Training, aimed at providing international exposure to over 50 of its trainee officers.
During their stay, the visiting crew engaged in a series of professional and cultural exchanges with their counterparts in the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), underscoring the growing strategic ties between the two maritime forces. The delegation was led by Vice Admiral Kanosue Hiroaki, Vice Commandant (Operations) of the JCG.
On July 7, Vice Admiral Hiroaki paid a courtesy call on Director General Paramesh Sivamani, AVSM, PTM, TM, the chief of the Indian Coast Guard, highlighting the long-standing bilateral partnership that stems from the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) signed between India and Japan in 2006.
As part of the visit, the Japanese delegation toured multiple ICG facilities in Chennai, gaining firsthand insights into the operational capabilities of the Indian maritime force. The exchange served as a platform for capacity building and mutual learning, in line with both countries’ shared vision for a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific.
The visit concluded with a high-seas joint exercise, aptly named JA-MATA—a Japanese expression meaning “we will meet again”—conducted off the Chennai coast. The coordinated sea drill featured advanced maritime maneuvers, including boarding operations, station keeping, and firefighting exercises, reflecting strong interoperability between the two forces.
The engagements were coordinated by Headquarters, Coast Guard Region East, under the leadership of Inspector General Datwinder Singh Saini, TM, Commander of Coast Guard Region (East).
The successful visit of Itsukushima reinforces the robust maritime partnership between India and Japan and strengthens their joint commitment to safeguarding regional maritime security.
