India – Japan Relationship – continue

3)Defence

Article 9 of Japan Constitution says Japan will outlaw war except for self defence

The clause forbids Japan from using force to settle international disputes and restricts its land, air and naval forces to a strictly defensive role.

Japan has revised Article 9 of its Constitution to allow Japan’s self-defence forces to act more like a conventional army.

Balance of military power and ever accentuating territorial and recourse nationalism in Asia has paved intensification of strategic cooperation between India and Japan.

Remember : Although Japan controls Senkaku island, its sovereignty has been aggressively contested by China, as is evident in Beijing’s decision to establish an Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the Eastern Asia in Nov. 2013.

Japan’s concerns in Asia Pacific

  • In 2010 china accounted for 28% of total military spending in Asia. Its share has increased to 38% by 2014. Its DF-21d anti-ship ballistic missile is capable of targeting the entire South China Sea, Malacca Strait, most of Bay of Bengal and parts of Arabian Sea.
  • After south Korea and USA jointly announced they would deploy USA Missile Defence System Terminal High Altitude Area Defence(THAAD) in South Korea in 2016 in order to devise a fitting line of regional deterrence , Japan is rushing forward to do the same.
  • These strategic maneuvers dictate steps in the direction of balance of power in Asian continent, which is tilting in favor of China.

Some inspiring moments in defence partnership between India and Japan

  • Collaborative projects in defence equipment and technology is under consideration.
  • Tokyo has lifted ban on six Indian firms involved in defence R&D blacklisted after 1998 nuclear test, commencing towards transfer of Japanese military technology.
  • Tokyo declaration of 2014 underscores the significance of strategic cooperation between two of Asia’s largest maritime democracies and castigates states indulging in expansionist policies in the region.

Current Defence Cooperation

  • 2+2 dialogue (foreign and defence ministerial) 
  • Malabar exercise
  • Japanese US-2 amphibious aircraft for surveillance purpose in the Indian Ocean (If this deal is realized then it will signify for the first time Japanese export of defence goods and technology since World War II.)

4)Technological Cooperation

  • Japan is transfering technology in clean coal mechanism (Now included in NAPCC)
  • Japan is also providing assisatance in disater management and cyber security
  • Japan is supporting in Digital India through ICT Comprehensive cooperation framework
  • MOU between JAXA and ISRO concerning Cooperation in the Field of Outer Space
  • MoU between Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Republic of India and The Japan Agency for MarineEarth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) on Mutual Collaboration in Marine and Earth Science and Technology.
  • Will advance of academic research in the field of Earth Sciences for the benefit of the peace and human welfare.
  • Will enhance capability in the field of atmospheric and climate research, ocean technology observation and hazard mitigation in case of tsunami, earthquakes and other phenomenon.
  • Will boost our “Blue Economy” with better research and exploration of marine resources.

5)Cultural

  • Budhism, Bollywood, and Yoga
  • Japan is supporting in our efforts for reconstruction of Nalanda University

Issues in relation between India and Japan

  • Limited defence partnership
  • When we signed our Civil Nuclear Agreement it had a null Clause
  • India is finding it difficult to balance between China and Japan
  • India alongwith Japan want a multipolar world with multipolar Asia but China want a multipolar world with unipolar Asia

Conclusion:

  • Japan now follows eight other nations, including the US, France and Russia, in entering into a pact with India. It signals a wider acceptance of India’s status as a responsible actor.
  • China has been hedging against deeper Japan-India ties in Asia by investing in its relationship with Russia and Pakistan. As the two Asian rivals to China, India and Japan might need the partnership even more in the days to come as the U.S. President has indicated a lower level of interest in “playing policeman” in the region.

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