India-Japan ties under Shinzo Abe

By Educrat IAS Academy | | 0 comment | 26 July, 2022 | 0

Japan-India ties are 70 years old this year.

For the first five post-war decades of the 20th century, bilateral ties were friendly.
India was not among the signatories of the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty, which brokered post-war relations between the defeated Axis power and the Allies.
Instead, Delhi established an independent peace treaty and bilateral relations with Japan.

Defence: While the security agreement was in place since 2008, under Abe the two sides decided to have Foreign and Defence Ministers’ Meeting (2+2).
A pact for transfer of defence equipment and technology was also signed in 2015, an uncommon agreement for post-War Japan.
Bilateral relations: In September 2014, Modi and Abe agreed to upgrade the bilateral relationship to “Special Strategic and Global Partnership”.
The relationship grew and encompassed issues from civilian nuclear energy to maritime security, bullet trains to quality infrastructure, Act East policy to Indo-Pacific strategy
Indo pacific: In August 2007, when Abe visited India for the first time as PM, he delivered the now-famous “Confluence of the Two Seas” speech — laying the foundation for his concept of Indo-Pacific.
Bilateral visits: During his first stint in 2006-07, Abe visited India and addressed Parliament.
No other Prime Minister of Japan has made so many visits to India.
Stand against China: During the Doklam crisis and the current stand-off, Japan has made statements against China for changing the status quo.
Development: During Abe’s visit in 2015, India decided to introduce the Shinkansen System (bullet train).
Under Abe’s leadership, India and Japan also formed the Act East Forum and are engaged in projects in the Northeast, closely watched by China.
Abe had spelt out his vision of the Confluence of the Two Seas in his 2007 speech when the Quad was formed.