{"id":34289,"date":"2018-10-30T16:46:55","date_gmt":"2018-10-30T11:16:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=34289"},"modified":"2018-10-30T16:49:44","modified_gmt":"2018-10-30T11:19:44","slug":"what-the-return-of-quadrilateral-says-about-india-and-emerging-asian-geopolitics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/what-the-return-of-quadrilateral-says-about-india-and-emerging-asian-geopolitics\/","title":{"rendered":"What the return of quadrilateral says about India and emerging Asian geopolitics:\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/in-fact-what-the-return-of-quadrilateral-says-about-india-and-emerging-asian-geopolitics-4912740\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What the return of quadrilateral says about India and emerging Asian geopolitics<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Context<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Japan\u2019s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe proposed the idea of Asian democracies joining forces in 2006.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>The benefit<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar indicated India\u2019s willingness to work <\/span><b>with Japan and the United States <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">deals with regional issues.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">U.S. investments in the power sector of Nepal will be in Indian interest. Regionalism will grow if there are higher comfort levels. Having Japanese or the Americans in room will be more helpful.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indications of regional partnership between India and Japan came also during Mr Abe\u2019s visit, with both sides <\/span><b>indicating willingness to manage the maritime domain from Indian Ocean and the Asia-Pacific zone.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>India \u2013 Japan relationship<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Background<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the context of 21st Century, among all the bilateral relations, Indo-Japan relations have all the potential to transcend this era into an \u2018Asian century\u2019.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Commonalities such as shared democratic values, commitment to human rights, pluralism, open society and rule of law are foundation blocks of this global partnership.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Convergence<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Mutual importance for each other<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Varied factors have supported momentum of this partnership viz. India\u2019s economic resurgence, its engagement with USA and its increasing interest and stakes in East Asia in the form of Look East Policy in 1992 and Act East Asia Policy in 2015.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On similar lines, for Japan, India has emerged as an alternative economic partner and important constituent of Asia\u2019s emerging security order.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A transition of power is unfolding in Asian continent and the shape and substance of Indo-Japan relationship is one of its spin-off.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Notwithstanding, strengthening of the Indo-Japan relations is not the only consequence of rise of china and USA\u2019s shifting of regional policy in the form of \u201cRebalancing of Asia\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Factors like domestic perception of the alliance partner, which is amicable, have stimulated this relationship.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Japanese perception of India has also been molded by the dissenting opinion of Radha Binod Pal- the Indian judge at famous Tokyo trials \u2013 who declined to convict Japan\u2019s top military brass as war criminal proving that Japan\u2019s imperial history has been discounted by Indian consciousness.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to this, personal bonding between Japanese PM and his Indian counterpart, who are leading single party majority government in respective countries, is a class by itself.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Strategic Partnership<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increment in china\u2019s military expenditure was almost one and half times bigger in 2014 than defense outlay in 2010. This expansion is a cause of concern for both countries, since both countries are engaged in negotiation with China over Arunachal Pradesh (India) and Shenkaku Island (Japan).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New Delhi and Tokyo are apt to hedge against USA\u2019s possible failure in containing china\u2019s growing assertiveness in the region in the backdrop of this era of power transition. This hedging strategy can be analyzed in three main categories-<\/span><\/li>\n<li><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Firstly<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, increasing bilateral defence partnership against fear of American retrenchment,<\/span><\/li>\n<li><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Secondly<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, economic engagement against an over-dependence on china and<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, multilateral hedge against China\u2019s rising influence in international and regional institutions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Defense Cooperation<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the sphere of defense, in 2009, 2+2 dialogue (foreign and defense ministerial) were initiated.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has always supported freedom of navigation and unimpeded lawful commerce in international waters in sync with UNCLOS vis-\u00e0-vis South China Sea dispute and East China Sea issue.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India invited Japanese navy to participate in annual Malabar exercise in 2014 with USA in pacific waters, reviving an earlier practice of joint India-USA-Japan trilateral exercise.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Negotiations on possible trade in defense equipment from Japan, as per Tokyo deceleration, are in the pipeline.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indian interest is in Japanese US-2 amphibious aircraft for surveillance purpose in the Indian Ocean is high.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If this deal is realized, then it will signify for the first time Japanese export of defence goods and technology since World War II.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Economic Cooperation<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2011-12 India-Japan bilateral trade stood at $18.31 billion. The comprehensive trade pact between India and Japan aims to double bilateral trade nearly to $25 billion.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Japan is looking to boost trade and investment ties with India. The reasons behind this interest in India is obvious. India offers a large domestic market base.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides, mutual synergies between businesses in the two countries are driving initiatives-<\/span><\/li>\n<li><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Firstly<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Japan\u2019s ageing population (23% above 65 years) and India\u2019s youthful dynamism (over 50% below 25 years)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Secondly<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Japan is a relatively labour scarce, capital abundant country that complements India\u2019s rich spectrum of human capital.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thirdly<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, India\u2019s prowess in the software sector lends synergy to Japan\u2019s excellence in the hardware sector<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s abundance of raw materials and minerals matches well with Japan\u2019s capabilities in technology and capital to produce knowledge-intensive manufactured goods 5.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s large domestic market has been the main factor for investments by Japanese companies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The majority of investments are in traditional fields like machinery, automobiles and auto parts. Japanese small and medium enterprises have begun to discover India as the new growth market.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Japan and India share a common vision for the world. This is aptly illustrated by the fact that there has been an increase in the number of joint declarations, delegation visits and other business events between the two countries.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>India Japan CEPA<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) b<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">etween India and Japan came into force in August 2011.Despite this agreement India-Japan bilateral trade stands at measly USD16 billion as compared to Sino-Indian trade amounting to USD 70 billion and Sino-Japanese trade at whooping amount of USD 343 billion in 2014.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The agreement had two major concerns, namely: the infrastructure in India, and non-tariff barriers in Japan. On the infrastructure front, the two countries are collaborating on the huge, US $90-billion Delhi\u2013Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The project agreement appears highly promising in the environment of the new manufacturing policy whereby India is targeting to increase the share of manufacturing in GDP to 25 percent within a decade, potentially creating 100 million jobs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Japan had invested in dedicated freight corridor west project, strategic port facility in Chennai, development of strategic assets including highways and dams in North East Region where India\u2019s immediate neighbor is eyeing for territorial expansion.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Way ahead<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India and Japan are two powerful democratic forces in Asia which are searching for more options to work and prosper jointly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Economic front needs to be strengthened to reach \u201cLow Hanging Fruit of Asia\u201d wherein demographic dividend of the India and other Asian countries can be deployed to benefit Asia as whole.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both need to join hand to establish peace and order in not only disturbed region of Asia but of the whole world.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India-Japan defense and security cooperation remains a work in progress.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What the return of quadrilateral says about India and emerging Asian geopolitics:\u00a0\u00a0 Context Japan\u2019s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe proposed the idea of Asian democracies joining forces in 2006. The benefit Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar indicated India\u2019s willingness to work with Japan and the United States deals with regional issues. U.S. investments in the power sector&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/what-the-return-of-quadrilateral-says-about-india-and-emerging-asian-geopolitics\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">What the return of quadrilateral says about India and emerging Asian geopolitics:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[555],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34289","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-test-1","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":{"total":0,"cached_at":"","cached_date":1704683391},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34289","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34289"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34289\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34289"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34289"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34289"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}