INDIA-JAPAN RELATIONS

Major Initiatives announced during the visit:

• Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP): It is aimed at curbing China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
• The key initiatives of the strategy include promoting respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, opposing unilateral changes by China through force, and improving cooperation to address global challenges.
  • Japan will focus on Southeast Asia, South Asia (particularly Northeast India), and the Pacific Islands.
  • Japan will promote the Bay of Bengal-Northeast India industrial value chain concept
  • It will assist in developing maritime law enforcement capabilities of countries to free oceans from geopolitical risks.
  • Japan’s concept of FOIP is complementary to India’s concept of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)
  • India and Japan will assume the presidencies of G20 and G7 this year respectively.

Dimensions of India-Japan Relations

• Shared values
  • Democracy, Freedom and Rule of Law 
• Defence and Security Cooperation
  • India and Japan Vision 2025: To work together for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and the world.
  • Relationship elevated to Special Strategic and Global Partnership (2014)
  • “2+2” Dialogue
  • Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement with India
  • Inclusive and Rule-based International order in Indo-pacific
  • FOIP 
  • Military exercise: Dharma Guardian (army), Veer Guardian (Air Force), MILAN, JIMEX (Navy) and Malabar respectively.
• Strengthening India’s Act East Policy
  • Japan is supporting strategic connectivity linking South Asia to Southeast Asia through the synergy between the ”Act East” policy and ”Partnership for Quality Infrastructure.”
• Economic Cooperation
  • Japanese help during India’s BOP crisis in 1991.·
  •  Bilateral trade: Over US $ 20 billion (2022)
  • Comprehensive and Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) since 2011
  • Industries Competitiveness Partnership
  • Japan was the 4th largest investor in India in FY2020.
• Culture
  • Buddhism. Healthcare: Narrative of AHWIN (Japan’s) for AYUSHMAN Bharat
• Investment and ODA
  • India has been the largest recipient of the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) Loan for the past decades. E.g., Delhi Metro, Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) and High-Speed Railways in India
• Global Partnership
  • Both are members of G4, Asia-Africa Growth Corridor, Supply chain resilience initiatives, QUAD
• Space
  •  LUPEX Mission (India’s lunar lander and Japanese rover will explore the moon)
• Nuclear Cooperation
  • India-Japan Nuclear Deal 2016 will help India build the six nuclear reactors in southern India
• Digital Infrastructure Cooperation
  • Cooperation in promoting joint projects for digital transformation in various fields like 5G, Open RAN, Telecom Network Security, submarine cable systems, and Quantum Communications.
• Challenges
  • Climate change and WTO talks ( Japan siding with developed countries); Japan’s frosty relations with Russia (Kuril Island dispute)
• Conclusion
  • Relations between two power can greatly support stability in the world. Also, Japan can help in India’s rise e.g. India’s quest to become a global semiconductor Chip Manufacturing hub

Mains Practice Question

Critically analyze the evolution of India-Japan bilateral relations, highlighting the major milestones, challenges faced, and the potential for future cooperation in the realms of defense, trade, and technology.

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