Economic Times: India-Japan Strategic Partnership

Japan and India, under prime ministers Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe, continue to improve relations as a bulwark against more powerful China and develop balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region. “Both premiers have invested heavily in the bilateral relationship and made sustained efforts to push their respective bureaucracies to catch up with their vision,” explains Sanjay Pulipaka for the Economic Times. The two countries pursue open sea lanes along with mutual investment in trade, defense projects, technology and infrastructure and connections through other places including Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Africa. Pulipaka notes that Japan is more accommodating to China’s Belt and Road initiative for four reasons: Japanese firms seek investment participation, economic engagement with China contributes to intraparty unity for Abe, “the need to insulate Japan from a negative fallout of US-China trade war” and “growing perception of unpredictability in the US foreign policy.” While less keen about Belt and Road, India also follows Japan’s lead in improving ties with China. The developments signal a new multipolar order, and the author concludes this requires greater care with communications to avoid mishaps. – YaleGlobal

Economic Times: India-Japan Strategic Partnership

Unpredictable US foreign policy motivates India and Japan to pursue closer economic and security ties – and also to improve ties with China
Sanjay Pulipaka
Thursday, November 8, 2018

Read the article from the Economic Times about improved relations for Japan and India.

The author works as senior fellow at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML), New Delhi. The views expressed here are personal.

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