Events & Issues
New
Delhi, 4 June 2013
India-Japan Annual Summit
FORGING TIES AGAINST CHINA
By Col (Dr) PK Vasudeva (Retd)
Close on the heels of Chinese
Premier Li Keqiang to New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Tokyo
for defence and nuclear collaboration a fortnight back. Whereby, the focus
shifted from cooperation with China
to balancing Beijing in which Tokyo would play an important and crucial
strategic role.
Notably, the Annual Summit not only
received more than its share of attention but also gave a boost to “India’s Look
East policy”. Pertinently, the joint statement was titled, “Strengthening
Strategic and Global Partnership between India
and Japan
beyond the 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations”.
In fact, defence cooperation was a
key strand of the Summit with the Japanese media
asked Manmohan Singh what steps need to be taken to enhanced maritime
cooperation “in view of maritime threat from China?” Predictably, the Prime
Minister did not respond to this question, instead he asserted that the safety
of sea-lanes of communications was a vital issue for both New
Delhi and Tokyo
as “important maritime nations”.
Adding, “India supports freedom of
navigation and unimpeded lawful commerce in international waters, and right of
passage in accordance with accepted principles of international law”. About disputes
he stated that these should be resolved through dialogue, “We believe they
should be peacefully resolved by concerned parties through negotiations”. Towards
that end he reiterated that India
and Japan had launched a
bilateral Maritime Affairs Dialogue on 29 January last in Delhi.
In addition, the Prime Minister
articulated the ongoing defence cooperation between the two countries and said,
“Maritime cooperation and coordination between India
and Japan
has grown. India and Japan launched bilateral naval exercise last
June off Japan’s
coast and decided to conduct such exercises regularly.
More. They also decided to establish
a Joint Working Group (JWG) to explore modality for the cooperation on the US-2
amphibian aircraft Shinmaywa. They also underscored the ongoing bilateral
exchanges on maritime security including counter-piracy activities,
participation in bilateral and multi-lateral exercises as well as sharing of
information.
In this context, he welcomed the
joint exercises between the Coast Guards of India and Japan held off Chennai in January last year and subsequently
in Tokyo Bay in November last.
Undoubtedly, on the larger plane there
are many strands to defence cooperation between India
and Japan.
This emanates from a dialogue between the Foreign and Defence Ministers and the
2 + 2 dialogue process between the Foreign and Defence Secretaries on both
sides. Remember, high-level exchanges are on-going with Chief of Army Staff
General Bikram Singh visiting Japan
in March last. Thereafter the Chief of Japanese Self Defence Forces visited India. He also
visited the Eastern Army Command amongst other Headquarters to strengthen
defence cooperation.
At the same time, New Delhi is not in favour of a trilateral
exercise along-with US defence forces. While the Indian media is rife
with news of us chickening out of such an exercise, the Foreign Secretary Rajan
Mathai was more circumspect when asked if India had pulled out of such an exercise
in a pre-visit media briefing. Asserted he, “India did not pull out of a
trilateral exercise. There was some planning between India
and the US
for an exercise and at some stage it was felt that this could be converted into
a trilateral exercise. That did not quite work out. However, Japan and India will continue maritime
exercises.
On the nuclear front both countries
are keen to expand the dialogue to trade and power production but the talks are
at a preliminary stage and might take time to fructify. On the other hand India is interested
in reactors vessels produced by Japan Steel Works, a highly specialized
technology which the country is conversant with.
Further, the joint statement
reaffirmed the two leaders shared commitment to total elimination of nuclear
weapons. While Prime Minister Abe stressed the importance of bringing into
force the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) at an early date, Prime
Minister Singh reiterated India’s
commitment to its unilateral and voluntary moratorium on nuclear explosive
testing.
The two Prime Ministers also reassured
their commitment to working together for immediate commencement and an early
conclusion of negotiations on a non-discriminatory, multi-lateral and
internationally and effectively verifiable Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty
(FMCT). They also supported the strengthening of international cooperation to
address the challenges of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism.
Needless to say the security
dimensions of Indo-Japan relations need to be emphasised against the backdrop
of New Delhi’s apprehensions vis-à-vis Beijing’s aggressive intent on the Line of
Actual Control. News of another transgression and road construction activity as
well as a patrol face-off in Siri Jap last month underlines the need for
creating elbow room for which Japan
might be an ideal foil.
All in all, both Prime Ministers Abe
and Manmohan Singh highlighted their respective countries commitment towards a
common goal of stability in the Asia Pacific region which is one of the key
challenges especially given a belligerent China threat.
As Japan
and India, the third and
fourth largest world economies in terms of Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) engage
with each other, there is likely to be a contest of sorts with China which might metamorphose as competitive
economic coercion given India’s
lower economic status compared to the other two economies. Alas, India’s GDP is
much below in the pecking order.
Additionally, India is upbeat
about better cooperation in the field of fast moving trains like bullet trains
and assistance in the field of industrial growth. Significantly, strategists
view Japan’s greater
proximity to India a result
of resurgent nationalism and increased tensions with China.
On the flip side it is debateable how
far this has support of all Parties notwithstanding the substantial investments
that the Japanese plan to make in India. Clearly, this would determine
the future trajectory. In sum, hesitation in engaging with each
other will not help India or
Japan
fulfil their ambitions or protect their interests for a lasting peace in the
region. ----- INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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