On May 19 2022, ICWA organised a one-day virtual conference, 'India-Japan Relations at 70: Reflections and Way Forward', to celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the India-Japan bilateral diplomatic relations. With the participation of leading experts from India and Japan, the conference was a valuable platform for taking stock of bilateral relations over the last seventy years and charting a way forward.
In her welcome remarks at the inaugural session, Amb Vijay Thakur Singh, DG, ICWA, said that India-Japan relations have a long history rooted in strong cultural and civilisational ties and building on this strong foundation, relations over the last 70 years have grown from strength to strength to make Japan India's most trusted and reliable partner. Amb. Sanjay Kumar Verma, Ambassador of India to Japan, emphasized that Japan is India's trusted partner and reliable friend. He also highlighted that it was always India’s endeavor to find convergences with Japan and build upon them while respecting divergences. In his remarks, Mr. Kawazu Kunihiko, Charge d' affaires, Embassy of Japan, New Delhi, highlighted that PM Kashida's visit to India in March 2022, his first physical bilateral visit to any foreign county after he was appointed PM of Japan, shows the importance attached by Japan to its relationship with India. During his keynote address, Amb. Hiroshi Hirabayashi, Former Japanese Ambassador to India and President/Representative Director of the Japan-India Association, Tokyo, mapped the evolution of India-Japan relations in the last seventy years, highlighting key milestones.
Amb. Deepa Wadhwa, Former Indian Ambassador to Japan and Chairperson of the India- Japan Friendship Forum, chaired the second session, '70 years of India-Japan Relations: Reflections'. In her remarks Amb. Wadhwa highlighted that the last two decades of the India-Japan relationship had witnessed a new high, though there is a lot of potential which still needs to be realised. Prof. Purnendra Jain, Emeritus Professor, University of Adelaide, Australia, Prof. Srabani Roy Choudhury, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and Prof. GVC Naidu, Professor (Rtd), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, respectively presented the evolution of India-Japan political, economic and strategic relations over the last seventy years.
The third session focused on the evolving dynamics of India-Japan relations in the Indo-Pacific. Delivering the Chair’s remarks, Amb. HK Singh, Director General, Delhi Policy Group/ Former Indian Ambassador to Japan, highlighted that the Special Strategic Partnership between India and Japan is driven by a shared interest in a stable, balanced Indo Pacific. He noted that the trajectory of the India-Japan relationship will likely mirror developments in India-US ties. Prof. Yoichiro Sato, Ritusumeikan Asia Pacific University, in his presentation, outlined different scenarios of the future of the Indo-Pacific, highlighted that the India-Japan relationship would raise a collective voice in the region. Dr. Titli Basu Associate Fellow, MP-IDSA, highlighted the prospects and challenges of India- Japan relations in the Indo-Pacific, while Dr. Jojin V. John, Research Fellow, ICWA, assessed the India-Japan Third Country partnership in the Indo-Pacific.
The fourth session of the conference focused on the emerging dynamics of India-Japan economic relations. Prof. Prabir De, Professor, RIS, was the session's Chair. Dr. De highlighted that India-Japan are not only partners for trade and investment but also key partners in international economic governance through their cooperation in G20, SCRI, QUAD etc. Prof. Makoto Kojima, Professor Emeritus, Takushoku University, evaluating the contemporary dynamics of India-Japan economic cooperation, argued that India's PLI scheme and engagement in SCRI would further boost economic ties. Dr. Nisha Taneja, Professor, ICRIER, mapping the trends of India-Japan trade, explained the opportunities and challenges for India to have greater market access in Japan. Dr. Kalpana Tokas, Assistant Professor, NMIMS highlighted that, despite CEPA, only a minuscule increase in the services trade between India and Japan had taken place. She highlighted the excellent potential for service trade between the two countries in the sectors such as education, IT, technology, start-up and engineering services.
Mr. Kijo Sato, Director General Japan Foundation, New Delhi, chaired the session on civilisation and people to people ties. Mr. Sato argued that the "two wheels" of India-Japan relations, i.e bilateral relations and people to people contacts, need to move together to achieve a robust and dynamic relationship between the two nations. Prof. PA George of JNU, in his presentation on the state of Japanese Studies in India, observed that despite significant developments in India-Japan relations, Japanese Studies in India remain stagnated and demand urgent attention. Mapping historical Buddhist contacts between India and Japan, Dr. Ranjana Mukhopadhyaya, Professor, DU, observed that Buddhism is the most important and enduring spiritual, cultural and intellectual connection between India and Japan.
The concluding session of the conference was chaired by Amb. Sujan R. Chinoy, Director General, MP-IDSA, New Delhi/ Former Ambassador to Japan & Honorary Patron, Indo-Japan Friendship Association (Gujarat). In his remarks, Amb. Chinoy observed that current dynamism in India-Japan relations has been nurtured under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi. He also stressed that India and Japan can do much more together for the peace and security of the world. Panellist, Mr. Saito Mitsunori, Chief Representative, JICA, New Delhi, observed that the way forward for India-Japan relations is by focusing on investment and trade facilitation from a world value chain perspective, technology and knowledge exchange under common challenges, people to people exchange involving job market and moving from aid to real two-way cooperation. Prof. Siddharth Singh, Professor, Banaras Hindu University/ Former Director, Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Tokyo, highlighting the role of culture in India-Japan relations, argued for the need for the two countries to pay attention to foundational and sustainable action, translation projects, establishing museums highlighting the contribution from both sides, engaging the local population and organising events at iconic places.
*****