Key Areas of Cooperation between Japan and India

Source: The post key areas of cooperation between Japan and India has been created, based on the article “Japan’s Foreign Minister writes: India and Japan, co-creators of new solutions” published in “Indian Express” on 19th August 2024

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2- international relations- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

Context: The article discusses the visit of a Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs to India, highlighting the historical and current cooperation between Japan and India in areas like defense, economics, people-to-people exchanges, and women’s roles in peace and security. The visit aims to deepen these partnerships further.

For detailed information on India-Japan relations read Article 1, Article 2 here

What are the Historical Ties Between Japan and India?

1. Japan and India share historical ties dating back to the 6th century with the introduction of Buddhism from India to Japan.
2. Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan, famous for green tea, has a connection with India through Tada Motokichi, who learned black tea production techniques in India and applied them to green tea in Japan.

What are the Key Areas of Cooperation?

1. Defense and Security: Japan and India have strengthened their defense cooperation through joint exercises involving land, sea, and air forces. The third “2+2” Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting will further these efforts. An example is the collaboration on defense technology.
2. Economic Cooperation: Both nations are working on the High-Speed Rail project and developing India’s northeastern region. They aim to achieve a 5-trillion-yen investment target set in 2022. New focus areas include Green Transformation and Digital Transformation.
3. People-to-People Exchanges: The extension of the “Japan-India Tourism Exchange Year” to 2024 and events like “Japan Month” and “India Month” aim to foster cultural exchanges and strengthen ties.
4. Women, Peace, and Security (WPS): Japan values India’s experience in deploying women in peacekeeping operations. They are collaborating on the WPS agenda, focusing on women’s leadership in peace and security.

What is the Future of Japan-India Relations?

1. The relationship between Japan and India is expected to grow stronger, with both countries contributing to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. The visit is seen as a step towards deepening this unique and historical partnership.
2. Global Cooperation: Japan and India’s alignment in global forums like the Quad supports a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific,” reflecting their shared commitment to regional stability.

Question for practice:

Discuss the key areas of cooperation between Japan and India as highlighted in the recent visit of the Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs to India.