The Indo-Pacific has emerged as a new theatre of strategic and economic competition in the twenty-first century. With the rise of China and the decline of US influence in Asia, India–Japan relations and foreign policies have also been undergoing a significant transformation.
This volume critically assesses India–Japan relations with a particular focus on the growing power shift in the Indo-Pacific region. It brings together a diverse group of scholars and analysts from both countries who examine aspects of bilateral relations, partnerships at the regional level, obstacles in the way of fully cementing these ties, and the concrete policies that both countries can undertake for a comprehensive development of India–Japan relations.
In two distinct parts, the volume presents both Indian and Japanese perspectives The first part explores how Japan has assumed key importance in India’s Act East Policy, which appears to converge with Japan’s ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’, as they share the goal of a rules-based order. It studies India and Japan’s strategic engagement with the US, and India’s role as a ‘resident power’ in the Indian Ocean Region. The Japanese perspective explores the geopolitical and geoeconomic forces shaping Indo-Japan relations and the implications of this expanding engagement. It also examines India’s emerging economic partnership with Japan. These contemporary strategic and economic issues are discussed with a focus on not only the bilateral but also the regional aspects.
This book will be indispensable to students and scholars of International Relations, South Asian Studies, strategic and security studies, foreign policy as well as institutions of public policy, advisory bodies and think-tanks.
Harsh V. Pant is Vice President for Studies and Foreign Policy at Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi and Professor of International Relations with King’s India Institute at King’s College London.
Madhuchanda Ghosh is Assistant Professor at Department of Political Science, Presidency University, Kolkata.
List of Figures and Tables List of Abbreviations
1. Introduction Harsh V. Pant and Madhuchanda Ghosh PART I: PERSPECTIVES FROM INDIA
2. India and Japan in the Indo-Pacific Era: Evolution of Mutual Perceptions and Bilateral Relations Purnendra Jain 3. Emerging Contours of India–Japan Strategic Partnership Raj Kumar Kothari 4. The China Factor in India–Japan Relations Harsh V. Pant and Shashank Mattoo 5. The Indo-Japanese Pivot to Asia: New Opportunities and Challenges Madhuchanda Ghosh 6. Partnerships in a Multi-aligned World: Quad in the Indo-Pacific Shubhrajeet Konwer 7. Securing the Indo-Pacific: Cooperation of Two Maritime Resident Powers Joshy M. Paul 8. India, Japan and the US: Shaping Strategic Discourse in the Indo-Pacific Sayantan Haldar
PART II: PERSPECTIVES FROM JAPAN 9. Japan–India Security Cooperation amidst Regional Flux Satoru Nagao 10. Japan–India Economic Partnership in an Evolving Strategic Context Makoto Kojima 11. Institutionalising the Indo-Pacific: Japan–India Cooperation over Regional Multilateralism Kei Koga 12. Afghanistan after the US Withdrawal: New Avenues for Japan–India Cooperation Kenta Aoki 13. Remembering the War: Japan’s Commemoration of the Battle of Imphal and Kohima Ryohei Kasai
Notes on the Editors and Contributors Index