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Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's strategic pursuit of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, anchored in his conceptualisation of the 'Confluence of the Two Seas' and founded on the principles of universal values and norms, has created space for India in Japan's grand strategy. India has been identified as a key variable in the geopolitical churning that is shaping the Indo-Pacific discourse, both in Japan and the USA. However, as policy positions are articulated by respective leaders, ambiguities around the Indo-Pacific puzzle demand more clarity. While President Trump and Prime Minister Abe are aligned in terms of pursuing the Indo-Pacific strategy - with the objective of managing the US-led strategic order amidst Chinese attempts in claiming equity in international affairs with alternative ideas, institutions, and infrastructure - Prime Minister Modi has articulated India's Indo-Pacific vision as a free, open and 'inclusive region, including all countries in the geography as also others beyond who have a stake in it'.1 Although there are certain gaps in each country's nuanced interpretation of the Indo-Pacific construct, a few common elements define the India-Japan 'winning combination' in the Indo-Pacific, such as upholding ASEAN centrality; the objective of securing strategic stability and economic prosperity based on the pillars of shared universal norms and values; facilitating infrastructure and connectivity between the sub-regions, including Bay of Bengal, the Mekong region, and the Indian Ocean for better economic integration and leveraging regional production networks and value chains; and securing maritime global commons by strengthening security cooperation with like-minded partners.
As three major Asian powers, China, Japan and India, with their apparent asymmetry in relative national power, do pursue their respective geostrategic and geo-economic ambitions solely guided by their national interests. India's approach toward geopolitical realities is guided by a balance between engagement and autonomy.2 While there is an alignment of interests which has led India to develop an 'action oriented partnership' for its Indo-Pacific Vision 2025 with Japan, and pursue robust security and economic engagement with the USA, the containment of China has not been the objective of India's foreign policy approach. It is true that all three actors - Japan, India, and the USA - have their divergences with China; yet all of them are engaging China at their own pace, given its significance in...