The rising sun in India-Japan relations
Why in News
- New era begins at Japan with the newly elected PM Yoshihide Suga after the resignation of Shinzo Abe in terms of Foreign Policy.
- His visit to the United States last month has set the agenda for the wider Indo-Pacific engagement of Tokyo and its evolving priorities.
Focus on China
- To begin with, Tokyo and Washington drilled down to brass tacks on their joint security partnership given the need to address China’s recent belligerence in territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas as well as in the Taiwan Strait.
- Both sides affirmed the centrality of their treaty alliance, for long a source of stability in East Asia, and pledged to stand up to China in key regional flashpoints such as the disputed Senkaku Islands and Taiwan.
- Reflecting the changed nature of conflict, both sides acknowledged the importance of extended deterrence vis-à-vis China through cooperation on cybersecurity and space technology.
- Competitiveness and Resilience Partnership, or CoRe has been announced to invest in emerging technologies to fill the gap and Chinese ambitions to dominate the development of new age technologies such as 5G and quantum computing.
- The two allies earmarked billions in funding for the deployment of secure 5G networks, committed to building digital infrastructure in developing countries and promised to collaborate on setting global digital standards.
- Both sides have also signaled their intent to continue the Trump-era policy of pressure on China to reform economic practices such as “violations of intellectual property rights, forced technology transfer, excess capacity issues, and the use of trade distorting industrial subsidies”.
- Both powers repeatedly emphasized their vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific that respects the rule of law, freedom of navigation, democratic norms and the use of peaceful means to settle disputes.
- In the aftermath of the successful Quad Summit both parties expressed their continued support for the four-nation grouping of the United States, India, Australia and Japan.
- China’s human rights violations in Xinjiang, its heavy–handed suppression of protests in Hong Kong and military aggression towards Taiwan came in for heavy criticism.
- Japanese premier plans to visit India as soon as situation permits following the COVID-19 pandemic. But the precursor of what will happen can already be seen from preview of US dealing by Japan.
A preview
- First, one can expect a continuation of the balancing security policy against China that began in 2014.
- During a phone call with the Indian Prime Minister, Japanese PM expressed concern over China’s “unilateral” actions in the East and South China Seas, Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
- Within a decade the relations between both the countries have seen an upward spree which is seen by expanded high-level ministerial and bureaucratic contacts, conducted joint military exercises and concluded military pacts such as the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) logistics agreement.
- Both nations continuously affirm for Open and Free Indo Pacific and wok with QUAD which is central pillar of security strategy.
- Upcoming meeting between the leaders will take stock of security relationship and enhanced cooperation in defense technology and export
Technology Partnership
- Two powers will look to expand cooperation in sectors such as cybersecurity and emerging technologies.
- During the tenure of previous Japanese PM both nations put together a digital research and innovation partnership that ran the gamut of technologies from AI and 5G to the Internet of Things and space research.
- Leaders of the both the countries may look to deepen cooperation between research institutes and expand funding in light of China’s aforementioned technology investment programme.
- It is yet unclear whether Mr. Suga will attempt to stir the pot and bring up the disagreements over India’s insistence on data localization and continued reluctance to accede to global cybersecurity agreements such as the Budapest Convention.
- Economic ties and infrastructure development are likely to be top drawer items on the agendas of New Delhi and Tokyo.
- While Japan has poured in around $34 billion in investments into the Indian economy over the course of the last two decades, Japan is only India’s 12th largest trading partner, and trade volumes between the two stands at just a fifth of the value of India-China bilateral trade.
- The upcoming summit will likely reaffirm Japan’s support for key manufacturing initiatives such as ‘Make in India’ and the Japan Industrial Townships.
- Further, India will be keen to secure continued infrastructure investments in the strategically vital connectivity projects currently under way in the Northeast and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Third Country Outlook
- Both nations will likely devote much attention to evolving a joint strategy towards key third countries and multilateral bodies. In past years both have collaborated to build infrastructure in Iran and Africa, provide vital aid to Myanmar and Sri Lanka and hammer out a common Association of Southeast Asian Nations outreach policy in an attempt to counter China’s growing influence in these corners of the globe.
Way Forward
- The time is ripe for India and Japan to take a hard look at reports suggesting that joint infrastructure projects in Africa and Iran have stalled with substantial cost overruns.
- Japan will persuade India on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in an attempt to reverse its decision not to join the massive trade compact.
- Writing in 2006, Shinzo Abe, in his book, Utsukushii Kuni E (Toward a Beautiful Country), expressed his hope that “it would not be a surprise if in another 10 years, Japan-India relations overtake Japan-U.S. and Japan-China relations”.