India Japan strategic relations and China factor post 2005

Abstract

India and Japan share great bond of cultural linkages and historical affinity, universal values of democracy, freedom, the rule of law and respect for the fundamental rights and shared commitment towards peace and prosperity in the world. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the progress in India-Japan strategic relations, to analyse the effect of China factor on India-Japan relations, to study the changing course of Japan s foreign and security policy and also to find the role of India-Japan strategic partnership in the emerging East Asian security dynamics. In September 2014, the partnership between the two countries was upgraded to Special Strategic and Global Partnership . India-Japan relations have great political, economic and strategic convergence in the wake of evolving geopolitical scenario of the Indo-Pacific region. Rise of China and its aggressive and expansionist policy is contributing to their strategic closeness in the 21st century. There are increasing signs of Japan s soft and hard balancing towards China. Japan s foreign and security policies are going through a big change in the light of the changing dynamics of the international politics. The study has found that India-Japan relations are mutually beneficial and complementary in nature. The future course for the relations of two countries is very promising. newline