Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
TheStoryofIndiaJapanRelationsbyIFSOfficerNayantaraD
(http://forumias.com/portal)
Copyright@ForumIAS.com
This essay is a part of a series of Articles on International Relations by Nayantara D. You can check for her future International Relations Articles by visiting
: http://forumias.com/portal/IR http://forumias.com/portal/IR
A transition of power is unfolding in Asian continent and the shape and substance of IndoJapan
relationship is one of its spinoff. Notwithstanding, strengthening of the IndoJapan relations is not
the only consequence of rise of china and USAs shifting of regional policy in the form of
Rebalancing of Asia.
Factors like domestic perception of the alliance partner, which is amicable, have stimulated this relationship. Japanese perception of India has also been
molded by the dissenting opinion of Radha Binod Pal the Indian judge at famous Tokyo trials who declined to convict Japans top military brass as war
criminal proving that Japans imperial history has been discounted by Indian consciousness.
In addition to this, personal bonding between Japanese PM and his Indian counterpart, who are leading single party majority government in respective
countries, is a class by itself.
http://forumias.com/portal/thestoryofindiajapanrelationsbyifsofficernayantarad/
1/8
23/10/2016
TheStoryofIndiaJapanRelationsbyIFSOfficerNayantaraD
Finally, multilateral hedge against Chinas rising influence in international and regional institutions.
Defence Cooperation
In the sphere of defence, in 2009, 2+2 dialogue foreign and defence ministerial were initiated. India has always supported freedom of navigation and
unimpeded lawful commerce in international waters in sync with UNCLOS visvis South China Sea dispute and East China Sea issue.
India invited Japanese navy to participate in annual Malabar exercise in 2014 with USA in pacific waters, reviving an earlier practice of joint IndiaUSA
Japan trilateral exercise.
Negotiations on possible trade in defence equipments from Japan, as per Tokyo deceleration, are in the pipeline. Indian interest is in Japanese US2
amphibious aircraft for surveillance purpose in the Indian Ocean is high. If this deal is realized then it will signify for the first time Japanese exportof
defence goods and technology since World War II.
Change in Article 9
Japan has revised Article 9 of its Constitution to allow Japans selfdefence forces to act more like a conventional army.
The clause forbids Japan from using force to settle international disputes and restricts its land, air and naval forces to a strictly defensive role.
Japan has scrapped the article to reform its pacifist, postWWII constitution to develop its military for collective self defence.
Balance of military power and ever accentuating territorial and recourse nationalism in Asia has paved intensification of strategic cooperation between
India and Japan.
Although Japan controls Senkaku island, its sovereignty has been aggressively contested by China, as is evident in Beijings decision to establish an Air
Defence Identification Zone ADIZ in the Eastern Asia in Nov. 2013.
Chinas Aggressiveness
Chinese revisionism is also evident in South China Sea SCS where Beijing claims ownership over Nine Dash Line which if established by force, would
entail that almost all of the SCS will be the exclusive economic zone of China.
SCS is endowed with fossil fuels and vital for merchant and international free navigation given the fact that 71% international cargo passes through this
region.
Hague Arbitration Tribunal in Phillipines V/S China case in 2016 rejected Chinas claim Of Nine Dash Line and the historic rights of Middle Kingdom off
the hand. But China does not subscribe to UNCLOS, adding to tensions in the region.
On the Himalayan side, transgressions in Demchok, Ladakh, Chumar and Depsang areas tell a story of territorial hunger of China.
Although IndiaChina relations look normal but distrust lingers deep within, which is a fallout of 4000 km. long Himalayan border dispute resulting from
1962 war.
Indian side has suspicion for huge investment sponsored by china in developing port and deep underwater ports which can be used for military purpose
in Indias neighborhood through Maritime Silk Route Project.
This is owing to the fact that it resembles Chinas earlier policy of String of Pearls theory encirclement of India through a series of ports in different
maritime countries in Indias neighbourhood.
Development of Kyaukphu port and deep underwater port at Maday island Arakan coast in Myanmar nearby North East region of India and
development of Gwadhar port in Pakistan near Western India is supposed to be a part of this grand scheme.
In addition to this, Great Coco Island and Little Coco Island are controlled by Myanmar. Since the early 1990s, there have been frequent reports of China
using those islands for military and naval purposes but there is no certain proof of whether the islands are actually under Chinese control.
Thus, Chinese presence on the Coco Islands, developing intelligence systems and other naval facilities, is unnerving for nearby India.
While it is yet not certain whether the Great Coco island hosts Chinese intelligence systems, there is greater acknowledgement on the building of runways
http://forumias.com/portal/thestoryofindiajapanrelationsbyifsofficernayantarad/
2/8
23/10/2016
TheStoryofIndiaJapanRelationsbyIFSOfficerNayantaraD
Economic cooperation
For 201112 IndiaJapan bilateral trade stood at $18.31 billion. The comprehensive trade pact between India and Japan aims to double bilateral trade
nearly to $25 billion.
Japan is looking to boost trade and investment ties with India. The reasons behind this interest in India is obvious. India offers a large domestic market
base.
Besides, mutual synergies between businesses in the two countries are driving initiatives
Firstly, Japans ageing population 23% above 65 years and Indias youthful dynamism over 50%below 25 years
Secondly, Japan is a relatively labour scarce, capital abundant country that complements Indias rich spectrum of human capital.
Thirdly, Indias prowess in the software sector lends synergy to Japans excellence in the hardware sector 4. Indias abundance of raw materials and
minerals matches well with Japans capabilities in technology and capital to produce knowledgeintensive manufactured goods 5. Indias large
domestic market has been the main factor for investments by Japanese companies.
The majority of investments are in traditional fields like machinery, automobiles and auto parts 6. Japanese small and medium enterprises have begun to
discover India as the new growth market.
Japan and India share a common vision for the world. This is aptly illustrated by the fact that there has been an increase in the number of joint
declarations, delegation visits and other business events between the two countries.
http://forumias.com/portal/thestoryofindiajapanrelationsbyifsofficernayantarad/
3/8
23/10/2016
TheStoryofIndiaJapanRelationsbyIFSOfficerNayantaraD
Nuclear Conundrum
Issue of civilian nuclear technology cooperation remains a constraint in realizing true potential of this strategic partnership. Japans antinuclear stance
often conflicts with Indias aspiration of to be a nuclear power.
Tokyo however has relented and supported IndiaUSA Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement at IAEA andNSG,given the responsible nuclear state history
of India.
India and Japan has started discussion on a Civilian Nuclear Cooperation Agreement in 2010. For India, nuclear cooperation with Japan is essential to
consummate indoUSA nuclear deal owing to the fact that Westinghouse is Toshibas subsidiary and Mitshubishi has a technical cooperation agreement
with General Electric.
Even crucial components of nuclear reactors offered by French nuclear consortium Areva are manufactured in Japan.
India also needs Japans support for NSG membership but later has expressed reservations citing New Delhis lack of commitment to nuclear
disarmament, especially at CTBT and FMCT.
Nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daiichi plant in 2011 had also derailed ongoing consultations. Japans preconditions to such an agreement includes
stringent inspections of Indian civilian nuclear facilities, termination of agreement in case of India conducts nuclear test and Indias abdication of right to
enrich or reprocess fuel of Japanese originrule of origin i.e. fagging and benchmarking.
Tokyo has attached significance to ratification to CTBT and a unilateral moratorium on production of fissile material.
For India, the benchmark for bilateral civilian cooperation deal has been already fixed by IndoUSA nuclear deal and India will not go more than what it
has committed to its civilian nuclear pact with USA.
Notwithstanding, having accepted the IAEAs Additional Protocols which allows IAEA to conduct extensive inspection of Indias civilian nuclear
programme, India have affirmatively addressed one of the Japans major concerns.
In the backdrop of CTBT being discriminatory and instrument to maintain status quo in favor of recognized nuclear states, India replies with Not Now,
Not Ever approach in words of former diplomat Arundhati Ghosh.
With a responsible nuclear doctrine in 1998 itself India had adhered to unilateral moratorium on nuclear test. In addition to this, China and USA has not
ratified CTBT yet, so India has no strategic rationale to move forward and ratify it. Same line of argument goes for the FMCT issue too.
Nonetheless Japan in recent times is going ahead with Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement very eagerly owing to economic compulsion resulting from
global economic slowdown, which augurs well for India.
4/8
23/10/2016
TheStoryofIndiaJapanRelationsbyIFSOfficerNayantaraD
India and Japan are two powerful democratic forces in Asia which are searching for more options to work and prosper jointly.
Economic front needs to be strengthened to reach Low Hanging Fruit of Asia wherein demographic dividend of the India and other Asian countries can
be deployed to benefit Asia as whole.
Both need to join hand to establish peace and order in not only disturbed region of Asia but of the whole world.
Related
o 906
SHARES
(http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fforumias.com%2Fportal%2Fthestoryof
indiajapanrelationsbyifsofficernayantarad%2F)
+1
(https://plus.google.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fforumias.com%2Fportal%2Fthestoryofindia
japanrelationsbyifsofficernayantarad%2F)
WhatsApp
(whatsapp://send?text=http%3A%2F%2Fforumias.com%2Fportal%2Fthestoryofindiajapan
relationsbyifsofficernayantarad%2F)
Tweet
(https://twitter.com/share?
original_referer=/&text=The+Story+of+India+%E2%80%93+Japan+Relations+%E2%80%93+by+IFS+Officer+Nayantara+D&url=http
Pin
storyofindiajapanrelationsbyifsofficernayantarad/&via=FORUMIAS)
Share906
h
y
s
b
http://forumias.com/portal/thestoryofindiajapanrelationsbyifsofficernayantarad/
5/8
23/10/2016
TheStoryofIndiaJapanRelationsbyIFSOfficerNayantaraD
4Comments
ForumIAS
Recommend 1
Share
Login
SortbyOldest
Jointhediscussion
AadityaSingh3daysago
Theinformativeaspectofarticleisbeingoverwhelmedbyinspirationpartofit.
3
Reply Share
ForumIAS3daysago
ThankyousomuchNayantara:DWe,atForumIAS,areproudofyou!:)
HaveagreatcareerservingthecountryasaDiplomat!
4
Reply Share
Bestdesire3daysago
thnkumam
2
Reply Share
AnkitVermaadayago
Thankyouma'am,scoresofdimensionsinrelation.
Reply Share
ALSOONFORUMIAS
MainsMarathon:5QuestionsonContemporaryIssues21
October
MainsMarathon:5QuestionsonContemporaryIssues20
October
2comments4daysago
2comments4daysago
DreamzUnlimited:)TSRcommitteeqgood...Sir,ifyoucanprovide
DreamzUnlimitedgoodq:)
compilationsofprevious4045dayquestionsthenitwillhelpa
lot....becausemany
MustReadNewsArticlesOctober22
AccordingtoareportofLabourBureauofIndiasLabourand
EmploymentMinistry,Indias
1comment2daysago
rivalcananyoneexplaintheAlzheimer'sdiseasearticle...toomuch
1comment11hoursago
oftechnicaljargonaboutamyloidbetapeptide....
ElNinoAccordingtovariousestimates,about10lakhsyoung
Indiansareenteringthecountry'sjobmarketeverymonthbutonlyless
thanhalfare
Subscribe d AddDisqustoyoursiteAddDisqusAdd
Privacy
Popular Categories
Select Category
Latest Posts
Free : Public Administration Classes for Mains 2016 by Flavido Classes http://forumias.com/portal/freepublicadministrationclassesbymkmohantyat
flavidoclasses/
http://forumias.com/portal/thestoryofindiajapanrelationsbyifsofficernayantarad/
6/8
23/10/2016
TheStoryofIndiaJapanRelationsbyIFSOfficerNayantaraD
Must Read News Articles October 23 http://forumias.com/portal/mustreadnewsarticlesoctober23/
Posts Calender
<
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
>
SUN
1
2
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/01/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/1
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/03/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/04/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/05/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/06/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/07/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/08/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/1
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/10/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/11/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/12/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/13/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/14/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/15/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/1
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/17/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/18/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/19/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/20/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/21/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/10/22/
http://forumias.com/portal/2016/1
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Recent Comments
> El Nino on According to a report of Labour Bureau of Indias Labour and Employment Ministry, Indias unemployment rate has shot up to a 5year high of 5
percent in 201516. What can be the reason for this high unemployment rate? http://forumias.com/portal/accordingtoareportoflabourbureauofindias
labourandemploymentministryindiasunemploymentratehasshotuptoa5yearhighof5percentin201516whatcanbethereason/#comment12778
> El Nino on Critically examine the implementational challenges in achieving a Digital India?How far can it bridge the digital divide between rural and urban India?
http://forumias.com/portal/criticallyexaminetheimplementationalchallengesinachievingadigitalindiahowfarcanitbridgethedigitaldividebetweenrural
andurbanindia/#comment12777
> El Nino on What do you understand by JAM Trinity? What are the challenges faced by the government in spreading JAM? Suggest solutions.
http://forumias.com/portal/whatdoyouunderstandbyjamtrinitywhatarethechallengesfacedbythegovernmentinspreadingjamsuggest
solutions/#comment12776
> El Nino on What could be the reason to merge the Indian Rail budget with the General budget? http://forumias.com/portal/whatcouldbethereasontomerge
theindianrailbudgetwiththegeneralbudget/#comment12775
> Sherlock Watson on Essay Test 9 23rd October http://forumias.com/portal/essaytest923rdoctober/#comment12774
> Refueled on How can India combat Vector Borne Diseases like dengue and chikungunya? http://forumias.com/portal/howcanindiacombatvectorborne
diseaseslikedengueandchikungunya/#comment12773
> El Nino on What are the problems faced by the agricultural sector due to climate change? Suggest a road map for climatesmart agriculture in India.
http://forumias.com/portal/whataretheproblemsfacedbytheagriculturalsectorduetoclimatechangesuggestaroadmapforclimatesmartagriculturein
india/#comment12772
> Yamuna on Can the International Solar Alliance ISA reduce the global greenhouse emissions and provide cheap energy? http://forumias.com/portal/canthe
internationalsolarallianceisareducetheglobalgreenhouseemissionsandprovidecheapenergy/#comment12771
http://forumias.com/portal/thestoryofindiajapanrelationsbyifsofficernayantarad/
7/8
23/10/2016
TheStoryofIndiaJapanRelationsbyIFSOfficerNayantaraD
http://forumias.com/portal/thestoryofindiajapanrelationsbyifsofficernayantarad/
8/8