11 October 2020, NIICE Commentary 6138
Shreelaxmi Mohanty
The 21st century is dynamic in many ways, from nuclear weapon threat to COVID-19 pandemic, from global to regional and important shifts of interest from the Middle East to Indo-pacific. Countries like the US and France have been openly advocating for the security of the Indo-Pacific region. This shift happened due to several factors like – China’s emergences as a global economic power and activities in the South China Sea, rich natural resources and growing economic opportunities in the region, human resources, one of the busiest international trade route, politically instability of the region and along with other factors attracted the global attention, making it one of the critically strategic regions of the world politics. With all the great power aiming at the region to boost their influence and presence, it has become inevitable for the Asian countries to protect it from becoming a battlefield for the major power. India, geographically situated in an important location in the region, naturally has the ability and opportunity to act as an important player in the Indo-Pacific. Security and prosperity of the region are most crucial for not only for the South or Southeast Asia but for the whole world. Like India, Japan has also realised the importance of this region and emerged as a key player in the Indo-Pacific. At the ‘Confluence of Two Seas’ in 2007, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s speech to Indian Parliament created a new arena for Indo-Pacific Oceans geopolitical visions of Delhi and Tokyo. Since then, both the nations have been enhancing their relations through ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’ with a Vision 2025, the “Action Plan to Advance Security Cooperation based on the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation between Japan and India”, a 2+2 Dialogue between both the countries at a ministerial level and annual military-to-military cooperation exercises and ‘Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative’ 2019. At the ‘India-Japan Vision Document’ unveiling in 2015, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe addressing the Parliament stated that the two countries will work toward the ‘free and open’ Indo-Pacific and this cooperation will have a “new era of India-Japan relations’ for peace, stability and prosperity of Indo Pacific.
Challenges in the Indo-Pacific
The trade, connectivity and drive for natural resources in the region have given rise to sets of maritime and security challenges for Indo-Pacific. Firstly, the Chinese activities in the South China Sea and the East China Sea put forward a major challenge for the ‘rule-based order’. Its disregard for international court and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is putting at risk the regional stability. Indo-Pacific is one of the busiest routes of the international supply chain, and any disruption in the supply has potential for catastrophic implication for the regional and global economy. Secondly, illegal activities like sea piracy, terrorism, maritime crime, fishing industries etc. non-traditional threat to be chased for uninterrupted supply. Thirdly, maintenance the Law of Sea is a very difficult task in the region as there is no consensus about regional sea boundaries. The constant conflict, deployment of forces hampers the order of the sea. Fourthly, this region is prone to natural and manmade disasters like – tsunami, climate change; sea-level rise, pollution, oil leakage and depletion of sea surface which possesses a great threat to the Indo-Pacific region. Fifth, with the presence of major powers, regional organisations and conflictual interest among the states, is very challenging for both India and Japan to maintain the balance of power in the region; to cooperate with the major power and creating confidence with regional state simultaneously. The formulation and nature of cooperation among New Delhi and Tokyo will decide the future security and strategy of Asia-Pacific at large.
Way Forward in Indo-Pacific
India and Japan share a common value and commitment for economic and security cooperation, which helps them to play an important role in the Indo-Pacific for the peace, stability, security and prosperity of the region. At the time of COVID-19, Japan has emerged as a valuable partner for India and together they have a very crucial role in the post-pandemic period in the Indo Pacific. This cooperation can mainly focus on the following areas:
Trade and Connectivity
Both India and Japan have boycotted the products manufactured by and from China, both the countries have to strengthen their cooperation with ASEAN and other regional countries to increase the trade and re-establish regional supply chain. For better trade, it is necessary to have greater connectivity in the region to link and integrate markets. Both the countries need to take up joint connectivity project across the region.
Maritime Security
Since 2019, Japan spends more on maritime security and rule-making in the Indo-Pacific region. Military exercises in the region both – bilateral and trilateral, joint patrolling of the region should increase to showcase both the countries commitment for the safety and security of the region and to get the confidence of the regional countries. Both India and Japan should cooperate in capacity building, sharing of the military technology for the strategic partnership.
Disaster Assistance and Relief
In order to increase the operational capability of forces of both countries during disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, joints training exercises should be undertaken for better support concerning logistics, supplies, and services. An Indo-Pacific disaster management and early warning system jointly by India and Japan could be a good initiative in regard to information sharing.
The Indo-Pacific Region has strengthened the Indian and Japan cooperation from partnership to a strategic partnership in the 21st century. When Japan envisaged itself as a leading country in the Indo-Pacific with the cooperation of fellow democratic nation, India stood itself as an anchor for the region. Both India and Japan leaders mutually agreed upon a series of course of action to ensure free and open access of Indo-Pacific for all. Japan with a rising India will ensure the collective vision of ‘a peaceful, open, equitable, stable and rule-based order in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond’. And their growing relationship and collective security vision is going to be the new security architecture of Asia.
