India-Japan Vision: Decoding the Indo-Pacific Strategy

Key Chapter Title List

1. Introduction: India-Japan Strategic Alignment and the Ambiguity of the Indo-Pacific Concept
2. Connecting Growth Poles within the Indo-Pacific Region
3. The Conception and Implementation of the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC)
4. Japan's Infrastructure Financing Strategy in the Indo-Pacific
5. Ensuring Maritime Commons Security in the Indo-Pacific
6. The Return of the Quadrilateral Initiative (Quad)
7. India, Japan, and ASEAN Centrality
8. The Way Forward: Priority Areas for Action
9. Conclusion and Outlook

Document Introduction

This report, published in 2018, aims to provide an in-depth interpretation of the India-Japan Vision 2025 jointly advocated by India and Japan and its practical significance for the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy. The report begins by noting that although the United States, Japan, and India all promote Indo-Pacific strategies, their respective articulations contain subtle differences: the U.S. and Japan focus on maintaining the existing order in the context of competition with China, while Indian Prime Minister Modi emphasizes building a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, not targeting China for containment. This divergence in strategic perception creates both opportunities and complexities for India-Japan cooperation.

The report's core revolves around two major pillars of cooperation: promoting connectivity and ensuring maritime security. On the economic development front, the report analyzes in detail how India and Japan connect growth poles in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa through an action-oriented partnership. It focuses on the strategic initiative of the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC), designed to synergize Japan's Expanded Partnership for Quality Infrastructure (EPQI) with India's Act East policy and its cooperation with Africa. Simultaneously, the report examines the strategic motivations behind Japan's infrastructure export strategy, which balances geopolitical needs with domestic economic revitalization. It also analyzes Japan's policy shift towards conditional participation in third-party market cooperation with China against the backdrop of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

In the security domain, the report systematically reviews the evolution of India-Japan bilateral and multilateral security cooperation mechanisms. This includes elevating the 2+2 dialogue to the ministerial level, signing the Implementing Arrangement for Cooperation between the Navies, and negotiating the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA). The report highlights the shared interests of both sides in upholding a rules-based maritime order and ensuring the security of Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs), enhancing interoperability through exercises like Malabar. Regarding the revival of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), the report points out its goal of promoting a rules-based order, but notes its lack of institutionalization. It also highlights India's insistence on its inclusive Indo-Pacific narrative, avoiding being perceived as a closed alliance targeting China.

The report concludes by emphasizing the critical importance of ASEAN centrality to the Indo-Pacific strategies of India and Japan. It looks ahead to key areas of cooperation in sub-regions such as the Bay of Bengal, Southeast Asia, and East Africa. The report argues that India and Japan need to coordinate resources to efficiently implement joint projects and pragmatically manage differences in areas like professional culture. Ultimately, achieving a stable Indo-Pacific order requires constructive interaction from all major actors, including China, rather than mere containment.