A Japan-India Model to Unlock the Indo-Pacific’s Potential

The Japan and India Special Strategic and Global Partnership represents a distinct model of Indo-Pacific cooperation that operates on its own strategic logic and institutional foundations. Regional security discussions often emphasize multilateral frameworks. However, the bilateral Japan-India relationship tells a different story. It shows how two major powers can build a comprehensive partnership on shared interests and complementary capabilities, all without superpower interference.

Born of Domestic Priorities

This partnership evolved from distinct national imperatives rather than external alignment pressures. Japan’s post-Cold War security normalization coincided with India’s economic liberalization and eastward strategic orientation. That created a convergence of opportunities independent of broader geopolitical arrangements. 

Economic interdependence provided the initial framework. Japan’s technological capabilities and capital resources aligned naturally with India’s market potential and infrastructure needs. Through its Official Development Assistance program, particularly in India’s sensitive Northeast region, Japan established practical mechanisms for cooperation that rely on bilateral channels rather than multilateral institutions.

Sea Lanes as Strategic Connectors

Maritime geography creates another foundation for independent cooperation. Both countries’ economic systems are heavily dependent on maritime trade routes and face similar vulnerabilities regarding sea lane security. This shared maritime consciousness generates natural incentives for cooperation that transcend external alliances. 

For example, the Japan-India 2+2 ministerial dialogue established in 2019 created an institutional framework for sustained security engagement. This further operates independently of broader regional arrangements. 

Recent developments, including Japan’s participation in India’s Tarang Shakti exercises and naval maintenance agreements, demonstrate the partnership’s capacity for practical military cooperation through bilateral channels. These arrangements exemplify autonomous strategic cooperation. 

An Indian Air Force fighter at Tarang Shakti X, 2024 (Via Tarang Shakti X)

Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force operations across the Indian Ocean benefit from Indian repair facilities. And India extends its operational reach without requiring third-party coordination. The arrangement provides Japan with a sustained regional presence while offering India access to advanced maritime technologies and operational expertise.

Balancing in a Complex Regional Environment

Both Japan and India also face challenging regional security environments that require nuanced responses. In this, they coordinate their independent strategies to address China’s expanding influence. India’s land border management and Japan’s maritime domain concerns create complementary rather than overlapping security requirements. 

Participation in the Quad’s Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness initiative serves their interests in monitoring regional maritime activities while building information-sharing capabilities. This framework enables both nations to enhance situational awareness across critical sea lanes without requiring external coordination or oversight. 

Their approach to regional challenges also demonstrates strategic flexibility. Both countries maintain complex relationships with China while building alternative partnerships and capabilities. Their approaches reflect sophisticated balancing strategies that prioritize long-term positioning over immediate alignment requirements.

Linking Economies, Securing Futures

Japan’s economic security framework is evolving. As it progresses, it also aligns with India’s emphasis on technological self-reliance and supply chain diversification. Critical technology cooperation, particularly in semiconductors, telecommunications, and advanced manufacturing, creates bilateral value chains that reduce external dependencies. 

Infrastructure development through initiatives like the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor demonstrates shared approaches to regional connectivity that compete with alternative models. This cooperation serves both nations’ interests in creating sustainable development partnerships without requiring external financial or institutional support. 

Recently, Japan’s security assistance programs have expanded to provide India access to defense technologies through bilateral channels. This arrangement offers Japan new export opportunities. Meanwhile, India gains alternative sources for critical defense capabilities, allowing it to reduce its dependence on traditional suppliers.

Strategic Flexibility in Action

The Japan-India partnership operates through multiple institutional layers that provide strategic flexibility and adaptability. Their bilateral mechanisms complement broader regional arrangements while allowing their respective functional independence. 

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and his Indian counterpart Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar meet on the sidelines of the July 1 meeting of Quad foreign ministers in Washington, DC. (©Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

This institutional architecture demonstrates flexibility by enabling both nations to pursue shared interests while preserving their policy differences ーparticularly regarding their relationships with the United States and views on sanctions regimes. 

Despite contrasting approaches to certain global issues, their bilateral cooperation continues without disruption. It is a pragmatic framework that prioritizes long-term strategic interests over immediate policy coordination. Institutionally, it is designed for issue-specific cooperation without requiring comprehensive alignment. Independent of broader political considerations, the partnership carries on in maritime security, technology transfer, and infrastructure development. 

A Model Partnership

The Japan-India partnership model suggests alternative approaches to regional security cooperation by emphasizing practical collaboration over formal commitments. Its success demonstrates how major powers can build comprehensive partnerships based on shared interests and complementary capabilities rather than external alliances or power obligations. 

Regional maritime security particularly benefits from their bilateral cooperation. Combined naval capabilities, information sharing, and coordinated presence across critical sea lanes create substantial regional security contributions. Their joint exercises and operational cooperation enhance regional stability through practical deterrence and conflict prevention capabilities. 

Technological cooperation creates additional strategic value. Joint development projects and technology sharing reduce both nations’ dependencies while building indigenous capabilities.

Above all, the partnership’s strength lies in its institutional flexibility and adaptive capacity. Both nations maintain their strategic autonomy while building meaningful interdependencies that serve mutual interests. It creates sustainable foundations for long-term cooperation that can adapt to changing regional circumstances without requiring external validation or support.

As regional dynamics continue evolving, the Japan-India model suggests that regional stability and cooperation can emerge from autonomous alliances between major powers committed to practical, meaningful, and mutually beneficial outcomes.

RELATED:

Author: Professor Pema Gyalpo, PHD

Dr Pema Gyalpo is a Visiting Professor at the Takushoku University Center for Indo-Pacific Strategic Studies.

Continue Reading

_{Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.}