Crossing the Japanese nuclear rubicon

TAKENORI HORIMOTO of the Shobi University in Saitama highlights recent developments and stumbling blocks in the increasingly close relations between Tokyo and New Delhi.
In his Asia-Pacific bulletin for the East-West Center, “The Japan-India Nuclear Agreement: Enhancing Bilateral Relations?”, he argues that the developing pattern shows the growing realization of shared strategic concerns between Japan and India: that of a rising China and calibrating relations with the United States.
He cautions that although there were indications of Tokyo’s eagerness in enhancing its strategic and economic relationship with New Delhi, a smooth conclusion of an Indo-Japan nuclear deal was not a foregone conclusion as such a deal would signify Tokyo’s abandonment of half a century of anti-weapon advocacy while the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan had further complicated the calculus of Indo-Japan nuclear co-operation.

Renewing Asia's Collective Destiny

SOURABH GUPTA argues that despite past missteps and future hurdles, India's and Indonesia's parallel histories, similar policy preferences and opportune international circumstances were drawing both countries closer to revitalize bilateral relations and potentially reconfigure Asian geopolitics. 

In his Asia-Pacific bulletin for the East-West Center, "India and Indonesia: Renewing Asia's Collective Destiny", he states that both countries could leverage opportunities to revitalize the bilateral relationship; New Delhi and Jakarta could start by championing each other's entry into the BRICS and MALSINDO collectives and this could help both countries set the tone on how leadership could be collaboratively exercised in the Indian Ocean region.

He concludes that a bilateral road map interspersed in equal parts with ambition and pragmatism, and cognizant of their differences in security perspective, held the potential to unlock the immense promise of this natural partnership.