A delegation from Japan’s Joint Staff College visited the Indian Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Sujeet on June 12 in Mumbai, strengthening the ongoing maritime collaboration between India and Japan. The visit featured an interactive session where faculty and student officers from Japan were briefed on the Indian Coast Guard’s (ICG) structure, operational responsibilities, and strategic initiatives.
The Japanese delegation was given a detailed tour of the indigenously constructed Sujeet, commissioned in May 2020 by Goa Shipyard Limited. The vessel is outfitted with state-of-the-art systems, including an Integrated Bridge System, Integrated Platform Management System, and high-capacity external firefighting equipment. It is designed to support a variety of missions, capable of carrying a twin-engine helicopter, four high-speed boats, and two inflatable boats for search-and-rescue, boarding, and maritime patrol operations.
The visit comes amid expanding regional cooperation under the Quad grouping—India, Japan, Australia, and the United States—which announced plans for joint Coast Guard patrols in the Indo-Pacific in 2025 during their September 2024 summit. This collaboration aims to strengthen interoperability and bolster maritime domain awareness in response to increasing regional tensions, particularly with China.
The OPV Sujeet, currently based in Goa, plays a crucial role in the surveillance of India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and is a key asset within the ICG’s growing fleet of 155 ships and 62 aircraft. An additional 35 vessels are under construction as part of the Coast Guard’s modernization efforts.
The visit underscores the growing strategic partnership between India and Japan and their shared commitment to maritime safety and a free and open Indo-Pacific. It also reflects a global focus on maritime governance, as highlighted by the International Maritime Organization’s report of a 15% increase in maritime incidents in 2023, reinforcing the urgency of international cooperation.
