Today, the global power center has shifted to the Indo-Pacific region, which is not merely a geographical term but a strategic concept. 

About Indo Pacific Region

• The Indo-Pacific region, encompassing the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, places India in a central role, unlike the older “Asia-Pacific Region” term. 
• This term also carries a strategic message to China, asserting that no single country’s dominance will be tolerated and that the region should remain free, open, and inclusive.

Strengths and Synergies in the Indo Pacific Region

• In the Indo-Pacific, Japan is identified as the most important partner after the USA.
• Japan’s Strengths: Japan possesses significant economic power and advanced technology. 
  • There is also a growing will within Japan to address challenges like China’s assertiveness, especially given concerns about US reliability.
• India’s Strengths: India brings a powerful military and strategic thinking to the Indo-Pacific. 
  • Its economic power is growing, and it has a skilled workforce, contrasting with Japan’s aging population.
• The combination of India and Japan is seen as a “perfect match,” where they complement each other’s deficiencies, forming a powerful partnership.

Pillars of India-Japan Relations

• Geopolitical Compulsion:
  • Aggressive China: Both India and Japan face the common threat of an aggressive China. 
    • China’s actions, such as its claims over the South China Sea (Nine-Dash Line) and its increasing influence in neighbouring countries through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which often leads to debt traps, have brought India and Japan closer. 
    • This shared challenge is the reason for both countries are part of platforms like the Quad (India, Australia, USA, Japan) and the Malabar Exercise (India, Australia, USA, Japan).
  • Question Mark over USA: Both countries perceive the USA as potentially unreliable, with US-China relations often fluctuating. 
    • This uncertainty leads India and Japan to seek strong partnerships with each other, anticipating a scenario where the USA might not fully support them against China.
• Joint Projects in Third Countries: India and Japan are collaborating on growth projects in third countries, particularly in Africa, through initiatives like the Asia Africa Growth Corridor. 
  • This serves as an alternative to China’s BRI, offering sustainable development instead of debt traps. 
  • They are also planning joint projects in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
• Collaborations: Japanese collaboration has been instrumental in iconic Indian projects, such as the Maruti 800 (with Suzuki), the Delhi Metro, and the ongoing Bullet Train project.
• Trade and Investment: While bilateral trade between India and Japan stands at 23 billion USD, there is significant scope for growth, especially when compared to the 130 billion USD trade between India and China. 
  • Japan has announced plans to invest 68 billion USD in India.
• Strategic Sector Cooperation:
  • Critical Minerals: Both countries can cooperate to reduce dependence on China, which currently dominates the supply of critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements.
  • Supply Chain Resilience: Following the COVID-19 pandemic, India, Japan, and Australia launched the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative to reduce over-reliance on a single country, particularly China.
  • Space Cooperation: India’s ISRO and Japan’s JAXA are collaborating on the Lunar Polar Exploration Mission (LUPEX) to search for water on the Moon.
• Mutual Respect:
  • India and Japan demonstrate tolerance and sensitivity towards each other’s concerns, raising issues respectfully without public shaming.
    • Example: Japan’s approach to India’s neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine war; while Japan supported Ukraine, it did not publicly criticise India. This highlights a mature diplomacy that strengthens their relationship.

Challenges In India Japan Relationship

• Alliance Policies: Japan is a treaty ally of the USA, with its security guaranteed by the US, and its foreign policy generally aligns with the US. 
  • India, on the other hand, follows a policy of multi-alignment, fostering relations with various countries.
• Approach to China: Japan views China as a direct security threat, stemming from historical animosity, though they have deep economic ties (over 300 billion USD in trade). 
  • Japan would always choose the US over China. 
  • India, however, seeks a working and stable relationship with China, acknowledging it as a large neighbouring country whose geography cannot be changed, and prefers not to fully join an anti-China camp.

Way Forward

• Increase Trade: Boost bilateral trade beyond the current 23 billion USD.
• Ease of Doing Business: Improve the ease of doing business in India to attract more Japanese companies and investments.
• Strategic Action: Move beyond general discussions to specific, actionable strategies.
• Critical Minerals Alliance: India and Japan should collaborate with Australia and Indonesia. 
  • These four nations, being producers or processors of critical minerals, could collectively break China’s monopoly in this sector.

Conclusion

A strong relationship between India and Japan is crucial for the 21st century to become an “Asian Century” and requires both countries to take a “quantum leap” to realise its full potential.

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