Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Strengthening of Indo-Japan ties necessary to check China' that was published in Newsband

Strengthening of Indo-Japan ties necessary to check China

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had recently visited India. There were important agreements signed between the two countries during the 36 hours he spent in the country. In fact, there has been taking place dialogues between Defence Ministers, Foreign Secretaries and Defence Secretaries of both sides. The main issues they discuss are maritime security, and a trilateral between India, U.S. and Japan

It has been decided that Japan’s National Security Council and India’s National Security Adviser are to hold regular consultations. The Indian Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), as the country’s navy is called, held a joint maritime exercise off Chennai in December 2013. India is also in negotiations with Japan to buy its amphibious aircraft, Utility Seaplane-2, used by the Japanese Navy.

The important thing is both the sides share the common threat of China emerging as a major power in the East.

Abe’s visit is bound to give a boost to Japan-India bilateral trade. Tokyo has generously helped fund India’s infrastructure development, including the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, and is also interested in a similar project in the Chennai-Bangalore belt. Discussions on a civilian nuclear deal continue.

India can, as part of a long term project, learn from Japanese how to self-modernise our defence forces i.e learn how to be technically self reliant. Japan can help India become technologically self reliant in defence areas.

Strategic relationship with Japan augurs well for India. Indo-Japan relationship should aim to build a strategic partnership that will check China's aggressive posturing towards its neighbours.

The importance given by Japan to India is appreciated but India should act decisively and make good use of the palpable Japanese political will to invest. Then only can India claim to be a "partner" in the true sense of the word, and not make the relation contingent upon a "China-threat"

Both the countries should go forward in strategic and economic relation for more prosperous and secure Asia pacific region. Amid increasing strategic and economic co-operation, it becomes all the more important to promote cultural relations and people to people contact between these two important Asian countries. The generous support provided by Japan for revival of world-renowned ancient Nalanda University is a testimony to importance attached to cultural relationship of these two countries.

There are a lot many complementary aspects which both these countries could focus to steer their relationship to new heights.

The advice to India to be wary of China flies in the face of the gay abandon with which China transferred nuclear weapons to Pakistan with the sole intention of containing us. Apt trade and military buildup between India and Japan is the only answer to rising Chinese hegemony.

A peaceful Asia is the goal of the India-Japan relations for the well being of all people in the world. India and Japan has to shoulder the responsibilty of maintaining the peace especially when China is behaving like a backyard bully.

Lastly, India can emerge as a heavyweight only if we settle our long standing disputes with Pakistan and take into consideration the sensibilities of other smaller neighbors. The key to such lofty goal lies in forging the South Asian Union, which is only possible by resolving Kashmir imbroglio. This also is not impossible, provided the people of both India and Pakistan take a lead to dismantle the barriers dividing them emulating German and European unification.