India-Japan ties through a Quad lens
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Research Fellow and Centre Coordinator East Asia Centre The Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi Dr. Jagannath Panda
Bilateral ties amongst the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) states of India, Japan, Australia and the United States have become crucial vectors shaping the grouping's evolution. As such, the India-Japan ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership1'—primarily enhanced on a conceptual ‘middle-power' connect even though there are lack of clarity on the concept—has consistently underlined the Indo-Pacific mode of cooperation and has the potential to take the Quad framework forward. Therefore, identifying more areas of practical cooperation between India and Japan within bilateral, trilateral and quadrilateral modes should be a priority. In other words, how can India-Japan synergy be translated into cooperation under a trilateral and quadrilateral framework within the Indo-Pacific region? How can this partnership enhance bilateral synergy to ultimately take the lead in solidifying the Quad's narrative in the Indo-Pacific?
A significant elevation of the Quad took place on March 12, 2021 via the Quad Leadership Summit (QLS)2, taking the grouping to the highest level of diplomacy by initiating a dialogue between the state heads. Not only did QLS conclude with the first joint statement (aptly titled “Spirit of the Quad3”), it also launched working groups on climate change, emerging technologies and vaccine distribution in the Indo-Pacific. These groups, covering areas of shared priorities, symbolize an effort to engage in practical cooperation by drawing on individual strengths of Quad states.
The India-Japan synergy is drawn not only on their similar and cautious China engagement policies but also geopolitical, economic and strategic convergences as regional powers of the new era. India has found in Japan a reliable developmental aid partner and a pivotal compeer for its engagement ventures like the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) that strives to create a secure, stable and inclusive maritime domain in the Indo-Pacific. Japan features prominently within India's ‘Act East Policy' (AEP) which synergizes well with Tokyo's own ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific' (FOIP) outlook.
In the emerging post-pandemic order, India-Japan cooperation is showing signs of further strengthening, especially with regards to vaccine diplomacy. In January 2021, both sides signed a pact for a loan worth 30 billion yen (roughly Rs 2,129 crore) to fund India's COVID-19 related economic support programmes4. This was in addition to Japan's 50 billion yen (almost Rs 3,550 crore) support in August 2020 to enhance India's hospital facilities5 and 1 billion yen COVID-19 grant through its Official Development Assistance (ODA)6. Tokyo also granted USD 130 million funding to the WHO-backed COVAX mechanism to ensure equitable access of COVID-19 vaccines to lower and middle-income countries7.
Meanwhile, India's vaccine diplomacy has been initiated via “vaccine maitri” (meaning “vaccine friendship”) strategy which looks to capitalize on its abilities as a pharmaceutical manufacturing powerhouse; it accounts for 20 per cent of global supply of vaccines and over 60 per cent of global production of vaccines. New Delhi not only supplied over 90 states with essential drugs (like hydrochloroquine and paracetamol), but also provided 60 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to 76 states (with over 33 million going to poorer, Global South countries). India's efforts stand out at a time when most wealthy Western countries are prioritising inoculating their own populations (currently, 60 per cent of global vaccines are reserved for merely 16 per cent of the world's population). Hence, for the Global South, India offers a safe and cost-effective alternative to Western vaccine options while Japan's health-based ODA becomes a major source of financial support.
This exhibits the leadership potential both countries hold in vaccine diplomacy for the Indo-Pacific region. Japan's reputation as an aid partner combined with India's vaccine manufacturing capabilities can jointly provide developing Indo-Pacific nations with a complete assistance package to help them combat and end the pandemic. Tokyo has already committed to providing cold-chain support and USD 41 million grant aid to help smaller states purchase vaccines8. However, bilateral financing support to India, such as through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC), to expand its vaccine production can help a quicker “last-mile” delivery—thereby strengthening the Quad's work in the area, and by extension, its geopolitical standing vis-a-vis China.
Emerging technologies—focus of one of the Quad's new working groups—also forms a key area of cooperation in India-Japan ties. In 2019, an Emerging Technology and Innovation Fund was jointly launched with USD 187 million to invest in South Asian tech start-ups9. Most recently, on January 15, 2021, New Delhi and Tokyo inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to further ministry and industry level cooperation in information and communications technology (ICT), particularly in 5G10. As part of their 2018 India-Japan Vision Statement, both states have also envisioned to work jointly to help third countries, particularly African states, build digital infrastructure11. Focus on this Africa connect can revitalize at the present non-performing India-Japan Platform for Business Cooperation in Asia-Africa region.
With the Quad's Critical and Emerging Technology Working Group set to develop principles for emerging tech governance, India and Japan can expand their related funding efforts in a manner that promotes standards set by the Quad group. This can expand further under the Australia-Japan-India (AJI) or Japan-America-India (JAI) trilateral. Concurrently, the Quad's focus on building tech supply chain resiliency can find synergy with the India-Japan-Australia proposed Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI), which is already set to “widen [its] ambit” by incorporating more countries, industries, and academia12.
Similarly, India and Japan's cooperation on environmental protection, clean energy and climate change, established under their memorandum of cooperation (MOC) signed in December 2018, can be expanded under the Quad Climate Change Working Group. India's expertise in solar energy and Japan's technological innovation capabilities to introduce environmental-friendly alternatives can add to the Quad's aim of promoting low-emissions tech solutions. Japan has set an ambitious goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050; India is also currently considering a similar net-zero target by 2050, to beat China's similar 2060 goal. Both countries can support developing nations in renewable energy solutions based on their expertise.
India-Japan ties are yet to achieve their ‘global' potential. The ‘special' leadership synergy between the two sides currently looks weak. Post Shinzo Abe's resignation, the relationship has acquired a lower profile to which Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga need to take careful note. This is the time to build upon the already matured and established India-Japan ties. If both states can inculcate in their already strong connect an Indo-Pacific and global contour, they can form the linchpin of the Quad—and its evolution in the region. Practical cooperation ranging from vaccines and climate change to science and technology can surely shape the regional facet of this relationship, strengthening the Quad process.
Dr. Jagannath Panda is a Research Fellow and Centre Coordinator for East Asia at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), New Delhi. He is the Series Editor for “Routledge Studies on Think Asia”. Dr. Panda tweets at: @jppjagannath1
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1 “Japan-India Relations (Basic Data).” Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. January 4, 2021. https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/india/data.html.（May 25, 2021 retrieved）.
2 “Japan-Australia-India-U.S. Leaders' Video Conference.” Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. March 13, 2021. https://www.mofa.go.jp/fp/nsp/page1e_000310.html.（May 25, 2021 retrieved）.
3 “Quad Leaders' Joint Statement: “The Spirit of the Quad”” Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. March 13, 2021. https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/files/100159230.pdf.（May 25, 2021 retrieved）.
4 Mathew, Joe C. “Japan offers 30 billion yen loan to India to fight COVID-19 crisis.” Business Today. January 8, 2021. https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/japan-offers-30-billion-yen-loan-to-india-to-fight-covid-19-crisis/story/427426.html.（May 26, 2021 retrieved）.
5 Ibid.
6 “Exchange of Notes concerning Grant Aid Project in the amount of 1 Billion Yen conducted.” Embassy of Japan in India. August 31, 2020. https://www.in.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/11_000001_00052.html. （May 26, 2021 retrieved）.
7 “Japan pledges $130 million for fair access to COVID-19 vaccines.” Japan Times. October 9, 2020. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/10/09/national/fair-access-covid-19-vaccines/（May 26, 2021 retrieved）.
8 “Japan to give $41 million aid to Asian nations over vaccine supply.” Kyodo News. March 9, 2021. https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/03/1cbb65032a6e-japan-to-give-41-million-aid-to-asian-nations-over-vaccine-supply.html. （May 26, 2021 retrieved）.
9 Rai, Joseph. “India, Japan jointly float $187-mn fund-of-funds to back Indian tech startups.” VCCIRCLE. June 25,2019. https://www.vccircle.com/india-japan-jointly-float-187-mn-fund-of-funds-to-back-indian-tech-startups. （May 26, 2021 retrieved）.
10 Singh, S Ronendra., Sen, Amiti. “India, Japan sign MoU to enhance cooperation in ICT, including 5G tech.” BusinessLine. January 15, 2021. https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/india-japan-sign-mou-to-enhance-cooperation-in-ict-including-5g-tech/article33582217.ece.（May 26, 2021 retrieved）.
11 “Japan-India Vision Statement” Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. October 29, 2018. https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000413507.pdf.（May 26, 2021 retrieved）.
12 Pattanayak, Banikinkar. “India, Japan, Australia are planning to widen the ambit of proposed supply-chain pact to counter China.” Japan Times. November 9, 2020. https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/india-japan-australia-are-planning-to-widen-the-ambit-of-their-proposed-supply-chain-pact-to-counter-china/2124008/（May 26, 2021 retrieved）.
Dr. Jagannath Panda is a Research Fellow and Centre Coordinator for East Asia at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA), New Delhi. He is the Series Editor for “Routledge Studies on Think Asia”. Dr. Panda tweets at: @jppjagannath1
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1 “Japan-India Relations (Basic Data).” Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. January 4, 2021. https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/asia-paci/india/data.html.（May 25, 2021 retrieved）.
2 “Japan-Australia-India-U.S. Leaders' Video Conference.” Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. March 13, 2021. https://www.mofa.go.jp/fp/nsp/page1e_000310.html.（May 25, 2021 retrieved）.
3 “Quad Leaders' Joint Statement: “The Spirit of the Quad”” Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. March 13, 2021. https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/files/100159230.pdf.（May 25, 2021 retrieved）.
4 Mathew, Joe C. “Japan offers 30 billion yen loan to India to fight COVID-19 crisis.” Business Today. January 8, 2021. https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/japan-offers-30-billion-yen-loan-to-india-to-fight-covid-19-crisis/story/427426.html.（May 26, 2021 retrieved）.
5 Ibid.
6 “Exchange of Notes concerning Grant Aid Project in the amount of 1 Billion Yen conducted.” Embassy of Japan in India. August 31, 2020. https://www.in.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/11_000001_00052.html. （May 26, 2021 retrieved）.
7 “Japan pledges $130 million for fair access to COVID-19 vaccines.” Japan Times. October 9, 2020. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/10/09/national/fair-access-covid-19-vaccines/（May 26, 2021 retrieved）.
8 “Japan to give $41 million aid to Asian nations over vaccine supply.” Kyodo News. March 9, 2021. https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/03/1cbb65032a6e-japan-to-give-41-million-aid-to-asian-nations-over-vaccine-supply.html. （May 26, 2021 retrieved）.
9 Rai, Joseph. “India, Japan jointly float $187-mn fund-of-funds to back Indian tech startups.” VCCIRCLE. June 25,2019. https://www.vccircle.com/india-japan-jointly-float-187-mn-fund-of-funds-to-back-indian-tech-startups. （May 26, 2021 retrieved）.
10 Singh, S Ronendra., Sen, Amiti. “India, Japan sign MoU to enhance cooperation in ICT, including 5G tech.” BusinessLine. January 15, 2021. https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/india-japan-sign-mou-to-enhance-cooperation-in-ict-including-5g-tech/article33582217.ece.（May 26, 2021 retrieved）.
11 “Japan-India Vision Statement” Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. October 29, 2018. https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000413507.pdf.（May 26, 2021 retrieved）.
12 Pattanayak, Banikinkar. “India, Japan, Australia are planning to widen the ambit of proposed supply-chain pact to counter China.” Japan Times. November 9, 2020. https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/india-japan-australia-are-planning-to-widen-the-ambit-of-their-proposed-supply-chain-pact-to-counter-china/2124008/（May 26, 2021 retrieved）.