
India to Build Mogami-Class Frigates with Japanese Design Plans in First Major Weapons Transfer
Japan has offered India design plans for Mogami-class frigates, the first time Tokyo has provided such a major weapons system to New Delhi. India plans to build the warships in domestic shipyards using Japanese materials, with each vessel costing approximately US$500 million and equipped with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles and torpedoes. The move aligns with India's push to localize defence production and enhance its naval capabilities as a security provider in the Indian Ocean. Japan's cabinet revised export rules on April 21 to allow such defence technology transfers.