INDIA JAPAN RELATIONS

The friendship between India and Japan has a long history rooted in spiritual affinity and strong cultural
and civilization ties dating back to the visit of Indian monk Bodhisena in 752 AD.

Japan has indirect connection with Hinduism as four of the seven gods of fortune originated from Hindu
deities named:
a) Benzaiten Sama (Sarasvati).
b) Bishamon (Vaiśravaṇa or Kubera).
c) Daikokuten (Mahākāla/Shiva).
d) Kichijōten (Lakshmi)

Indian leader, Rash Behari Bose was instrumental in forging India–Japan relations during our
independence movement. Then during World War II. Subhas Chandra Bose used Japanese sponsorship
to form the Azad Hind Fauj or Indian National Army (INA).

At the beginning of the 21st century, Japan and India resolved to take their bilateral relationship to a
qualitatively new level. The foundation for this was laid when Mr. Yoshiro Mori, Prime Minister of Japan
and Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee, Prime Minister of India agreed during the landmark visit of Mr. Mori to
India in August 2000 to establish the “Global Partnership in the 21st Century”.

Both the nations share a wide range of common interests including regional cooperation, maritime
security, global climate, and UN reforms.

Significance of Indo-Japan relation

New Delhi is seeking massive investments in its infrastructure sector and Japan is a major investor.
Japan’s technological and economic prowess could accelerate India’s development by transforming its
infrastructure and manufacturing sectors.

India is a big market for Japanese companies: Japan's interest in India is increasing due to a variety of
reasons including India's large and growing market and its resources, especially the human resources.

Indo-Pacific and Quad: Sharing convergent interests, both countries are strongly committed to freedom
of navigation and overflights and unimpeded commerce in the open sea which is important for the
stability and security of the Indo-Pacific region.

India’s Act East Policy and Japan’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy” converge in NER as a critical
region, where, and both countries are keen to extend their cooperation to the larger Indo-Pacific
region—including the African continent.

Japan has been allowed to invest in India’s North-East, which has been a no-go area for other countries.
India and Japan are also teaming up to set up a diesel power plant in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
(where New Delhi has not allowed other countries to invest).

Tokyo wants India in RCEP to more effectively push back against China and is utilizing the 2+2 dialogue
to convince India to join RCEP(Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership).
Concerns:
The trade ties which have remained underdeveloped when compared to India’s trade ties with China.
The bilateral trade between New Delhi and Tokyo in 2017-18 stood at a meagre $15.71 billion, whereas
the Sino-Indian bilateral trade in 2017 stood at $84.44 billion in spite of the political tensions between
India and China.

Defense sector: The two sides have also been unable to collaborate in the defense sector in spite of
huge potential.

Way forward
Containing China in India’s neighborhood: the two countries will be cooperating in the development of
the East Container Terminal in the Colombo Port in Sri Lanka along with Sri Lanka’s Port Authority
(SLPA), which is a different model of investment than the Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka, which has been
leased by China.

Defense cooperation: They are also engaged in discussions on the possibilities of India acquiring
Japanese technology in the production of submarines and on cooperative research in areas like
unmanned Ground Vehicle and Robotics

Make in India: India’s purchase of Japan’s indigenously made US-2 amphibian aircraft if successfully
executed, could also contribute to India’s ‘Make in India’ program.

Cooperation in North-East: Japan’s involvement in infra-structure projects, particularly in the Northeast

India, will further deepen and contribute to closer links with Southeast Asian countries.

Infrastructure projects: The smooth implementation of the prestigious high-speed rail project linking
Ahmedabad and Mumbai will ensure the credibility of India’s investment climate.

Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) project: One important objective of the project is to bring about
greater integration within the Indo-Pacific region by undertaking several infrastructure projects.

Green technology: Being a developing country, pollution is a serious issue in major Indian cities.
Japanese green technologies can help India tackle this threat.

Stable Indo-Pacific: Indo-Japan should be realistic enough to understand that in any future regional
strategic scenario, because of its economic and military strength, China will figure quite prominently so
efforts should be done to keep the Indo-Pacific multipolar.

From Japan’s recent diplomatic overtures and initiatives in Asia, It is clear that Japan and India
are likely to become closely tied partners in coming years based on common values and
strategic interests and as a useful complement to Japan’s traditional strategic reliance on
relations with the US. Former PM 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”.