India-Japan Ties & QUAD

Syllabus: GS2/International Relation

Context

• The newly elected Prime Minister of Japan has pledged to increase defence spending and deepen strategic ties with India and fellow members of the QUAD alliance — the United States, Australia, and India.

About the India–Japan Ties

• Historical Overview: India and Japan share a long-standing civilizational bond, underpinned by Buddhist cultural linkages and post–World War II diplomatic outreach.
  • Modern strategic cooperation began with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s 2007 visit and his ‘Confluence of the Two Seas’ speech before the Indian Parliament—an intellectual precursor to the QUAD framework.
• Strategic Partnership: Bilateral relations were elevated to a ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’ in 2014 during the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Japan. 
  • The partnership encompasses defense, technology, infrastructure, and maritime security. It includes:
    • 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue (Foreign and Defence Ministers);
    • Annual Summit Meetings;
    • Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA);
    • Collaboration in high-speed rail (Mumbai–Ahmedabad), clean energy, and critical technologies (semiconductors, AI, 5G).
  • Japan expressed its intent to deepen the Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership, and both nations set to enhance collaboration on defence, technology, and workforce development, with the ongoing Action Plan to facilitate 500,000 workforce exchanges — including 50,000 skilled professionals from India — over the next five years.
• Defense & Security Cooperation: India and Japan have intensified joint military drills such as Dharma Guardian, Japan–India Maritime Exercise (JIMEX), and Malabar — which includes the US and Australia under the QUAD banner.
  • The Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) signed in 2020 further enables reciprocal logistics support between the two militaries, boosting interoperability across the Indo-Pacific.
• Economic & Technological Pillars: Japan remains India’s fifth-largest investor, with commitments exceeding $40 billion under the investment promotion partnership of 2014. Collaboration extends to:
  • Smart cities and industrial corridors (Delhi–Mumbai, Chennai–Bengaluru);
  • Digital partnership for cybersecurity and 5G innovation;
  • Supply chain resilience initiatives (SCRI) with Australia, ensuring diversification away from China.
• Maritime & Regional Significance: Both India and Japan view the Indo-Pacific as a continuum linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
  • Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision aligns with India’s Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) doctrine. Their joint leadership in QUAD underscores commitment to:
    • Upholding UNCLOS-based maritime order;
    • Ensuring freedom of navigation;
    • Strengthening regional capacity-building (in ASEAN, Pacific Islands, and Africa).

Related Concerns and Challenges

• Strategic Asymmetry: Japan is a close US ally, while India maintains strategic autonomy.
  • It can lead to differing approaches on China, regional security, and Quad priorities.
• Economic Imbalances: Despite strong diplomatic ties, bilateral trade remains modest.
  • Japan’s investments in India are significant, but India’s exports to Japan lag behind.
• Infrastructure Bottlenecks: Flagship projects like the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train face delays due to land acquisition and regulatory hurdles.
  • These delays can dampen investor confidence and slow momentum.
• Cultural and Business Gaps: Language barriers, work culture differences, and regulatory complexity in India can deter Japanese businesses.
  • The Japan-India Startup Hub aims to bridge these gaps, but challenges persist.
• Regional Security Concerns: Both nations face pressure from an assertive China, but their threat perceptions and responses vary.
  • Coordination within the Quad must balance national interests with collective goals.
• Technology and Innovation Divide: Japan leads in robotics and advanced manufacturing, while India is strong in IT and digital services.
  • Aligning these strengths for joint innovation requires better policy coordination and R&D collaboration.

Way Forward: India–Japan Joint Vision for the Next Decade

• Resilient Supply Chains and Economic Security: Strengthening trusted supply chains for critical minerals, semiconductors, and green technologies.
  • Promotion of Japanese investment in India’s manufacturing and digital infrastructure.
  • Cooperation under the Asia Resilient Supply Chain Initiative (ARSCI).
• Connectivity and Infrastructure Partnership: Expansion of Japan’s ODA and private investment in India’s infrastructure — high-speed rail, industrial corridors, and smart cities.
  • Collaboration in third-country infrastructure projects in South Asia, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific, emphasizing transparency and sustainability.
• Defense and Security Cooperation: Deeper maritime domain awareness (MDA) collaboration, joint exercises, and defense technology co-development.
  • Focus on defense production partnerships aligned with India’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives.
• Digital Partnership and Critical Technologies: Collaboration in 5G/6G, AI, quantum computing, and cybersecurity.
  • Establishment of India–Japan Digital Partnership 2.0.
  • Joint research on trusted telecommunications networks and digital governance.
• Energy Transition and Climate Action: Cooperation in green hydrogen, ammonia, offshore wind, and nuclear energy safety.
  • Investment in energy efficiency, electric mobility, and carbon capture initiatives.
  • Reinforcement of the Japan–India Clean Energy Partnership (CEP).
• People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges: New initiatives to promote educational, tourism, and youth exchanges.
  • Skill development programs through Japan–India Institutes for Manufacturing (JIM) and Japanese Endowed Courses (JEC) in Indian universities.
• Partnership for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future: Joint humanitarian assistance, disaster relief (HADR), and global health initiatives.
  • Strengthened collaboration on sustainable development in the Global South.
  • Shared vision for human-centric technology and resilient democracies.

Source: TH