India-Japan cooperation in the changing geopolitical context of the Indo-Pacific

Abstract

India and Japan are natural allies in Asia, having a history of collaboration extending back to the 1950s. Bilateral cooperation between the two nations has grown significantly since the establishment of a “global strategic partnership” and the official formulation of the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” strategy. This article uses a balance of power theory and role theory to answer two major questions: 1) What role does the Indo-Pacific region play in Indian and Japanese policy?; 2) In which areas India-Japan cooperation has evolved? The article contends that the power balance through the cooperation of India and Japan aims to counteract China in the Indo-Pacific region. In addition, collaborative activities in various fields between India and Japan, along with support from other regional countries, can create a balance of power to ensure a stable security order in Asia and promote a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, address non-traditional security challenges, and strengthens collaboration in areas such as counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and infrastructure development.