Indian Defence Review

Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe

The current joint statement signed by Japanese Prime Minister Abe and Indian Prime minister Modi titled “Japan- India Special Strategic and Global Partnership” emphasizes the strategic and global partnership by qualifying it with the term ‘special’. There is no doubt that Japan and India are engaging beyond the economic realm, though it continues to be the vital link as it bids to get investment, technology and give momentum to India’s economic growth. The engagement in strategic cooperation as it stands today, is a significant move little envisaged in the beginning of the century and has roots in the developments in East Asia in particular and also in the larger international affairs of the world. An understanding of the needs of both Japan and India towards more engaging strategic cooperation becomes critical to get a better perspective of where this expanding engagement will head.

The engaging relationship between India and Japan that we witness today was structured at the beginning of this century; first by the visit of Japan’s Prime Minster Mori to India in 2000 and signing of the “Global Partnership between Japan and India”1 and consequent consent by both leaders in 2001 in Tokyo to make it an annual event. The major thrust of this relationship taking a strategic hue came in 2005 when Prime Ministers Koizumi and Manmohan Singh signed the “India-Japan Partnership in a New Asia Era: Strategic Orientation to Japan–India Global Partnership”2

It is this Joint Declaration that identified the Eight Fold Initiative for strengthening the Japan–India Global Partnership. The initiative provided a strong foundation to the areas of cooperation and recognised the need to develop a dialogue in areas of security and defence by fully utilising the Comprehensive Security Dialogue, Defence Policy Dialogue and military to military talk. It moved the engagement beyond talks at higher levels to include, joint exercises against piracy involving the Japanese and Indian Coast Guard. The Maritime Self Defence force (MSDF) of Japan and the Indian Navy were directed to enhance cooperation to ensure maritime security through exchange of views, friendship visits’ and other similar activities. Since then the term “strategic partnership” has continued to gain momentum and all the joint statements carried this term as part of the title.

The current joint statement signed by Japanese Prime Minister Abe and Indian Prime minister Modi titled “Japan- India Special Strategic and Global Partnership” emphasizes the strategic and global partnership by qualifying it with the term ‘special’. There is no doubt that Japan and India are engaging beyond the economic realm, though it continues to be the vital link as it bids to get investment, technology and give momentum to India’s economic growth. The engagement in strategic cooperation as it stands today, is a significant move little envisaged in the beginning of the century and has roots in the developments in East Asia in particular and also in the larger international affairs of the world. An understanding of the needs of both Japan and India towards more engaging strategic cooperation becomes critical to get a better perspective of where this expanding engagement will head.

The China Factor

China’s economic rise has manifested itself in its assertive stance in regional and bilateral issues with countries in Asia, and in turn has led to most of them looking towards ‘a country’ or a group that could be a bulwark to China’s growing presence. The current closeness between India and Japan has thus been observed attentively not only by Asian community but also by the world at large. China itself has not been a silent spectator. During Dr. Manmohan Singh’s visit to Japan in 2013, the People’s Daily published China’s response to the growing engagement where it referred to Japan and its politicians as “petty burglars” and that India’s strategic alliance with Japan was a “big mistake”. However, how the two parties view China is of importance to understand what could be the outcome.

For Japan, the rise of China both as an economic and a military power is of concern and needs to be addressed in ways that can bring peace and stability to the region. China has shown belligerence in the Senkaku Islands issue, its encroachment into the Air Defence Zone (ADZ) and in flexing its muscle in the South China Sea, which is so important to Japan for movement of trade and energy. Curtailed by its pacifist constitution, Japan needs more allies to counter China and in India it finds a friend.

India, which shares over 3,000 kms of border with China, has faced aggression from her in Arunachal Pradesh several times. Further, the issue of Tibet continues to be a bone of contention between the two countries. However, positioned as India is today, any kind of direct confrontation is best avoided and thus necessitates tactful negotiation to ensure that it does not displease either Japan or China, and at the same time draw benefits from both these nations.

Thus for both the nations while China is a predicament, Japan’s defence planners see China as “considerable threat”, or “potential threat” or “realistic threat”. India, on the other hand, views China’s aggression as not only a threat to it domestically, but is also concerned about its role in this region for stability in Asia.

Secured Sea Lanes

Protection of Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOC) is imperative for Japan as its energy security and trade is dependent on it. Major movement of oil and agricultural products for Japan takes place through the Indian Ocean. According to METI, as of August 2014, 87.7 per cent crude oil imports for Japan is from the Middle East and this passes through Indian Ocean. As the world’s largest importer of agricultural products, Japan’s major suppliers are from South East Asia and East Africa. Given that both energy and food supplies travel through the SLOC across the Indian Ocean, the movement of goods faces many choke points which are infested with pirates. Of special importance is the Malacca Strait as it is the main passage into South China Sea.

For India too, the SLOC across the Indian Ocean is important as almost 100 per cent of trade by sea is conducted through this route. The Indian Ocean today is pivotal due to global trade and oil movement. As US presence in the Indian Ocean is on the decline and given China’s “String of Pearls” strategy, India too would like to stake its claim on the Indian Ocean and play a more constructive role to bring stability. India with its strong naval power stakes a conspicuous claim on its waters.

Developments in the East China Sea

Japan finds itself in a precarious situation among its neighbors. As discussed above, while rising China is viewed with trepidation, it is North Korea’s nuclear and missiles capability which is causing considerable worry. In the Annual White Paper3 published in August 2014, Japan concluded that North Korea is contributing to an “increasingly severe” security situation in Northeast Asia. South Korea, the closest neighbour, has politically distanced itself from Japan because of historical issues. However, in recent years it too has claimed ownership of the Takeshima Island and is thus engaged in a territorial dispute.

In a July 2014 poll, 4more than half of Japanese and more than two-thirds of South Korean respondents said they view the other country negatively. In addition, more than 40 per cent of South Korean respondents believe that war might occur between South Korea and Japan. Given these developments post 2010, the East Asian region has emerged as an arena for contention of power. Japan too is trying to play a role to gain power in this region through its diplomatic overplays.

Developments in South Asia

China’s aggressive move into South Asia by investing in ports in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, is viewed negatively by both India and Japan. Moreover, Japan seconds India’s concerns that if Pakistan collapsed it could lead to proliferation of nuclear and missile technologies and escalate terrorism. There is apprehension in both nations about cross-border terrorism, Islamic terrorism and active low-intensity conflict would contribute to de-stabilising the Indian Ocean Region. To Japan, it would specifically hinder smooth flow of crude oil and other commodities. Japan, already a victim of the tanker war in the region, fears that any potential conflict in South Asia would have a spillover effect in the Indian Ocean. Japan’s primary concern continues to be that proliferation of nuclear weapons in South Asia would greatly endanger regional peace and stability. The matching concerns of both nations have given reason to further their strategic alliance

Nuclear Issues

The civil nuclear deal between US and India has opened yet another area of cooperation with Japan. The civil nuclear deal with US gives India the opportunity to pursue obtaining nuclear technology for civil purposes. The civil nuclear deal with Japan gains importance because Japanese companies such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Japan Steel Works fabricate crucial components such as reactor vessels which are used by the American and French reactors that India has agreed to install. Thus, unless New Delhi and Tokyo sign a nuclear agreement, Areva, Westinghouse and GE cannot use Japanese equipment in the reactors which they would supply to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd5.