New Delhi-Tokyo relations can hardly exclude Beijing

By Li Ruoyu Source:Global Times Published: 2014-9-9 18:43:10

Illustration: Liu Rui/GT



Since Narendra Modi was elected as Indian prime minister, wherever the leader of the world's second largest populated country goes attracts international attention. Modi, a tough nationalist who has vowed to revive the Indian economy, has been fulfilling his commitments domestically and until recently has not been so active on the international stage.

Only three months after Modi assumed office did he begin to visit major world powers, and his first stop was Japan.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made the unprecedented gesture of traveling to Kyoto to meet his Indian counterpart. This was a sign of preferential treatment, reflecting Abe's expectation toward his meeting with Modi.

The topics of their meeting were economic and security cooperation. Japan pledged to grant a total of 3.5 trillion yen ($33 billion) to improve the basic infrastructure in India.

Meanwhile, Japan will promote the export of the Shinkansen bullet train and nuclear technology that India urgently needs.

Modi showed understanding of Japan's right to exercise collective self-defense. The two shared a commitment to peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law.

They also hoped to hold regular maritime military exercises among Japan, India and the US. India even showed interest in buying the Japanese US-2 amphibious aircraft.

In a joint press conference, Abe pointed out that "We have to fundamentally improve our ties in every field to elevate our relationship into a special strategic partnership."

And Modi responded by saying that "The world knows the 21st century is Asia's century. [...] This will be decided by how Japan and India work together."

Leaders of both Japan and India have spoken highly of the prospects of cooperation between the two countries. But judging from the current situation, such "sincere" cooperation is more like each of them taking what they demand.

Modi has come back, satisfied by Japan's economic gift package that best suits his economic revival plan, while Abe who strives to make his country become a normal state has successfully lifted Japan's international status by reaching a security cooperation agreement with India.

As China is a neighbor of both Japan and India, their bilateral ties cannot shield away from the China factor.

Via this meeting, India seemed to form a united front with Japan to contain China. But will Modi be ready to align with Japan at the cost of displeasing China? Not necessarily.

For example, Modi declined to acquiesce to Abe's request to adopt the "two plus two" format in relations management. The "two plus two" refers to the two chief representatives, one foreign minister and one defense chief on each side, who will meet and discuss policies regularly.

During Modi's speech in Tokyo on September 2, he emphasized the prospects of India's domestic market, the world's second largest by population, and he hoped to strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries.

Nonetheless, he did not mention about the security cooperation. This perhaps could tell Modi's real intention of his trip.

Of course, the border issue between China and India is not fully settled, and India still bears China a grudge.

India has been the largest arms exporter in the world since 2010. And since Japan set out the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology as a set of new principles on overseas transfer of defense equipment and technology on April 1, it hopes to achieve both economic prosperity and security cooperation through arms exports.

Japan and India do have the possibility of strengthening cooperation in security.

Nonetheless, it still remains doubtful whether New Delhi, which puts the economy first, will want to offend a China whose GDP has exceeded that of Japan.

The author is an assistant research fellow with the Institute of Japanese Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn



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