In conversation

India and Japan: the road ahead

Summary of a conversation from ‘Connecting the Bay of Bengal: India, Japan and Regional Cooperation Conference’ between S. Jaishankar, former Foreign Secretary of India, Kenji Hiramatsu, Ambassador of Japan to India and C. Raja Mohan, Director, Carnegie India.

 

THE keynote discussion of the conference, ‘India and Japan: The Road Ahead’, focused on the broad theme of the overbearing need for connectivity across the Bay of Bengal and prospects for subsequent economic cooperation in the bay.

The moderator, C. Raja Mohan, began by tracing the complex historical evolution of the Bay of Bengal region. During the Second World War period, the bay was the centre of many conflicts. India was party to various alliances within the region, he elaborated, aiding in the maintenance of regional security. Although there has been a growing disconnect between India and the Bay of Bengal region over the past few decades, mostly due to economic isolationism, there is a global interest now in the region again.

When asked about the current government’s renewed focus towards the region, S. Jaishankar, the Foreign Secretary remarked that India’s shift towards the Bay of Bengal has not been sudden, but rather transitional. A look at Indian history reveals that the best of the country’s ports, the largest of them, have always been towards the East. The revival of the eastern seaboard has resulted in half of India’s trade to be directed towards the East. Moreover, the pull and push of globalization forces today happens to be in the eastward direction too. The Bay of Bengal region, thus, becomes incredibly prominent for India. To supplement all of the above, there has also been a steady evolutionary move in India’s mindset in understanding the importance of open connectivity with our neighbours.

Elaborating on the importance of regionalism, the foreign secretary pointed out that the body that was expected to mobilize regional integration among nations in South Asia, the SAARC, had failed. A lack of consensus within SAARC stemmed from diverging views on issues of connectivity and terrorism. This has motivated India to look at other avenues for engaging in regional connectivity. Nations along the Bay of Bengal are aligned on core issues and have similar priorities, making the region extremely conducive for the promotion of regional connectivity projects.

C. Raja Mohan provided some insight regarding events in Indian history that forced Indian foreign policy to become extremely inward looking and to adopt a lone-ranger attitude towards economic and security issues in the region. But, given the economic boom and growing strategic importance of the Indian Ocean, there is a change in the country’s foreign policy strategy. He then went on to question the foreign secretary on whether he believed the implicit shift in attitude reflected a permanent change or not.

The foreign secretary stated that initially India’s economy was smaller and had narrower interests, which made sense then for a more defensive posture with regard to the world at large. But post-liberalization, the country’s core interests have been redefined. In the vastly connected world of today, it is impossible for the old model of individualism to flourish and work. Power today would be defined in a sense of economic connectivity and regional security. Political strategies and influence will be determined by factors of regionalism and openness, a change that has been witnessed over the past two decades. It is essential now that India take the lead in the growing prosperity of South Asia, not just because it is the largest, geographically and demographically, but also because it possesses the fastest growing economy in the region.

To lay out a few specifications of areas where the Indian government has already begun robust efforts in building this new policy, the foreign secretary cited the examples of Indian infrastructure and development projects in the Bay of Bengal nations of Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. He highlighted Myanmar and Bangladesh as important economic corridors for India’s eastward pull, emphasizing that a lack of connectivity between India and these two countries would act as an impediment to India’s overall connectivity within the region. The time had finally come to bestow on these two nations the significance they have long deserved by commencing initiatives such as the development of coastal shipping and inland waterways. The intent with Bangladesh was to restore pre-1965 connectivity across the country and raise it through ventures in railways, road, power generation, inland connectivity, and coastal port development.

As far as Myanmar is concerned, the development of the Sittwe port as a grant and the Kaladan port are clear examples of Indian development initiatives. The Indian government has plans to hand over the project to the Myanmarese as soon as the road connecting the inland water way is completed. Thus, India is sending out a very strong message with regard to its growing relations with its two land corridors.

The sea corridor via Sri Lanka is also a work in progress. There are vested interests in both the Colombo port and the eastern port of Trincomalee. There are already heavy Indian investments underway in the sectors of rail and inland waterways with hopes to move on to road constructions too. Other connectivity projects in the region include construction of ports, roadways and development of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The broad underlying theme is to capitalize on infrastructure developments in the Bay of Bengal region while building India’s eastern seaboard, thus creating a completely different dynamic in the region.

The Japanese Ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu, provided some insight on Japan’s growing interest in the littoral. He acknowledged the moderator and Secretary Jaishankar’s comments about Japan’s early focus being directed towards South East Asia and the Gulf, resulting in the neglect of the Bay of Bengal region and South Asia. Although Japan has had long-standing relations with countries in the region, such as Bangladesh and Myanmar, the Japanese footprint in the region has been very light. However, Prime Minister Abe is eager to change that. He wishes to develop and consequently increase cooperation with these nations. Japan’s renewed interest in the Bay of Bengal region, follows the prime minister’s ideology of a ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ strategy.

When asked about the scope of Indo-Japanese collaboration in infrastructure projects in the region, Ambassador Hiramatsu indicated that the Bay of Bengal region is a place where India’s Act East Policy and Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy converge perfectly. He added that forums such as the Act East Forum could connect the Bay of Bengal region with the wider Indo-Pacific region. Ambassador Hiramatsu also stated that Japan is partnering with India to develop the Northeast region. The development of the Northeast region of India is a great way to connect India with the rest of ASEAN and the various infrastructure projects that Japan has been involved with over the years.

The long-term goal of Japan is to promote quality infrastructure that is durable, cost effective, open, and transparent. Ambassador Hiramatsu highlighted the last meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Abe as they agreed on values of openness, fairness, non-exclusivity of infrastructure projects, preserving the environment, safety of methods and personnel, and above all ensuring that the rule of law prevailed. This philosophy would be the fundamental foundation for all future collaboration between the two countries. These are also the basic values that the Japanese deem necessary for cooperation with any nation.

When questioned on the wider implications of the Indo-Japanese collaboration, especially with regard to the economic and security concerns in the region, the foreign secretary believed that Japan’s entry to the region would fill the long existing void of a missing player and contribute to a different dynamic among the current players. The merging of the Indian concept of South Asian regionalism in the Indian Ocean with the Japanese philosophy of the Pacific Ocean for East Asia, resulted in the Indo-Pacific policy for the confluence of the two seas.

Secretary Jaishankar affirmed that with today’s growing trade, geographical distances within countries were greatly decreasing. The world is rapidly changing and an intelligent nation like India should harness that. It can no longer be insecure about other players entering, nor can it be in denial. India needs to adapt accordingly and align with countries that see eye to eye with its broader goals. Japan fits into these criteria perfectly. Looking at it from a larger regional continental architecture, India’s interests with the ‘Act East’ policy lie in the East of Asia and the Pacific. The definitions of South Asia and East Asia are actually colonial terms and we must refrain from adhering to them. India has always had a broader presence from Myanmar to Kandahar, and it would be unfair to restrict its influence to imperial characterizations. With the Indo-Pacific policy, India is returning to its historic role as a key player. The consequent focus on the Indian Ocean area is also beginning to gather appropriate attention on the Bay of Bengal as a key component of the region. Thus, this change in outlook is here to stay.

Ambassador Hiramatsu responded by reiterating Prime Minister Abe’s policy address on his maiden visit to India. He asserted that the ultimate aim was to connect the two oceans and create a large domain for a peaceful, prosperous region. Further, this fundamental philosophy of the Japanese prime minister is underpinned by enduring mutual trust and friendship with the Indian prime minister. The current bilateral relationship could also greatly benefit from more participating nations from South Asia and the West, thereby creating a more inclusive region.

Secretary Jaishankar also highlighted that although Japan has had an economic stronghold in the region, it has not been able to make any great headway in domains such as security, strategy and politics. India, in contrast, has strong security and strategic ties in the region, but lags behind in the economic sphere. Thus, joint collaborations between both countries are mutually beneficial. He cited the Act East Forum as a platform through which both countries could jointly work and operate in the same space with better coordination and alignment, thus providing for more value of investment.

The moderator concluded by asking the participants about the impact of China’s influence on the region and if the Indo-Japanese collaboration was purely a product of China’s dominance in the region, particularly given the Chinese led Belt and Road Initiative which passes through the Bay of Bengal region. In response, the foreign secretary stated that Indian history, from the Silk Route onwards, is a clear indictor of India being a pioneer in infrastructure and connectivity projects throughout the region. So, it is not right to think of India’s role in the region as that of countering China. He also noted that India follows a rule based system and this is clearly demonstrated in how India has developed projects such as Sittwe.

The Japanese ambassador noted that there existed a convergence of views and basic principles on the implementation and development of connectivity projects between India and Japan in the region. He further highlighted the joint statement released by the prime ministers of Japan and India as evidence of the growing relationship between the two nations.

In his concluding remarks, Secretary Jaishankar stressed that India needs to be a driver in the region and must take the lead in promoting greater regional connectivity and prosperity. The ambassador confirmed that the time had come for concrete action. The national policy dictates a proactive contribution to prosperity and peace, playing a more active role in strategic and security matters in the world, and providing a more active support in conflict areas. India happens to be a big player in all of these areas and collaboration with it is a win-win game for Japan. The relations should be more result oriented and the time for vague discussion is over. India is focused on upgrading its relationship with Japan and the Bay of Bengal nations to enhance the overall infrastructure and economic environment in the region.