Be Mains Ready

Approach

• Give a brief introduction on India-Japan relationship. It can be historical relevance or even recent enhanced engagement between the two countries.
• Write about the current situation in the Asia-pacific region.
• In this context, highlight the importance of India Japan relationship and the need for increased cooperation between the two.
• Give some areas of concern between the two countries and its implications for the Indo-Pacific.
• Conclude by giving suggestions for the future course of action to improve the relations.

Introduction

• The depth of Indo-Japan relations can be gauged from the former Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi’s statement – “India-Japan relationship is not limited to the marketplace, let us rediscover ourselves in each other’s heart, it is in the largest interest of humanity. Thus, India Japan strategic partnership has global orientations.”
• India and Japan form the two axial points of the Asia-pacific region and collaboration between these can ensure peace in the area within these points.

Body

• While Indo-Pacific is a region defined by connectivity, it is also one of strong contestations and conflicts. China’s actions in the South China Sea, even expanding claims in the East China Sea, its attempts to develop naval bases in the Indian Ocean, are some of the challenges to peace in this region.
• Hence, China’s rise and its assertive policies provide a major impetus for deeper cooperation between India and Japan.

Major areas of Indo-Japan cooperation are-

• Geo-political cooperation through groupings like QUAD to counter the expansionist moves of China in the Indo-Pacific.
• Asia Africa Growth Corridor project as an alternative to China’s BRI (Belt and Road Initiative)
• Various defence exercises (E.g. Malabar), investment in economy, Civil Nuclear Cooperation etc

Certain areas of concern for the relationship between both the countries which affects peace in the Asia-pacific region :

• Focused on countering China: Both countries have border and hegemonic issues with China. So their policy stance hinges generally on China, rather than growing comprehensively.
  
  • China’s partnership with Pakistan over CPEC attacks Indian sovereignty and the Senkaku island dispute questions Japanese sovereignty.
  • Other countries in the South China Sea have also become the victims of border issues.
  • The collaboration between the two countries can also strengthen ties with other smaller countries in the region to counter China’s dominance.
• Security ties: Japan has offered neither military hardware nor technology to India. There seems to be a difference in perceptions about China. The stronger strategic ties between the two countries can stabilise the skewed power projection in the region.

Conclusion

• Today, India- Japan cooperation is even more relevant in the uncertain Indo-Pacific. Better engagement through groupings like Japan-USA-India (JAI) and Russia-India-China (RIC) can provide stability, growth and development in the foreseeable future.
• India’s Act East policy and Japan’s ‘Vision for Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ can offer peace and stability in the region against the rising instability due to dominance of China.