In the Quad, India and Japan Consolidate Their Relationship

Most foreign visitors to Japan enjoy riding on Shinkansen bullet trains. Very few people are invited to take a real train home with them. However, India's Minister of External Affairs, Dr S Jaishankar - who came to Tokyo for the Quad summit - has left town with reassurance that a high-speed train is coming his way soon.

The plan is to construct a railway between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. That is expected to reduce strain on crowded roads and provide a welcome boost to the Indian economy. 

Delay on the Tracks

Japanese trains are known for their punctuality. However, the Indian project is running late. It has been under discussion since 2015 and is still far from complete. Dr Jaishankar accuses opposition parties of causing the delay by raising objections to the forced acquisition of land.

He is determined to get things moving, with Japan's help. The Indian ambassador to Japan has suggested that operations could start in 2026.

The Indian Shinkansen project was discussed between Dr Jaishankar and the Japanese foreign minister, Yoko Kamikawa in Tokyo. They held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Quad on the evening of July 29.

Ms Kamikawa claimed that the world is "at a turning point in history." She emphasized that Japan is keen to collaborate with India, which she described as an important partner. Their meeting took place on the sidelines of a Quad foreign ministers' summit, which also involved US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. 

Ukraine Disagreement

Japan is an enthusiastic member of the Quad and is keen to enhance India's role in the group. However, there is a disagreement among the Quad nations on how to respond to the war in Ukraine.

Japan, Australia, and the United States, along with most Western democracies, have strongly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Indian officials have not done so. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was recently photographed embracing Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Minister of External Affairs Jaishankar was asked about this by reporters in Tokyo. He said the Indian view is that the use of force does not resolve problems between countries. Over the past two and a half years the war in Ukraine has cost many lives and created food shortages, he added. This has resulted in higher energy costs and has contributed to global inflation.

Dr Jaishankar urged the combatants to "move out of the battlefield and onto the conference table." He said: "We believe that there must be a return to dialogue and diplomacy."

Building Connections

Aside from disagreements over Russia and Ukraine, Quad members have established common ground in many other areas.

In Tokyo, the foreign ministers emphasized the importance of "resilient infrastructure." They suggested that through cooperation, they can offer a more sustainable alternative to China's Belt and Road initiative.  Specifically, the BRI has been criticized for its lack of transparency and tendency to create unsustainable debt burdens. 

The ministers presented a vision of "a region in which no country dominates and no country is dominated." 

Dr Jaishankar hailed the Quad nations as natural partners, which share similar democratic political systems, pluralistic societies, and market economies. 

"That by itself is a powerful stabilizing factor in an uncertain and volatile world," he said.

Business Ties

Japan's foreign policy is often influenced by the business connections it has with other countries. This is an important factor in its approach to India, a valuable marketplace for Japanese companies.

Suzuki, through a local partnership with Maruti, has become the leading automotive brand in India.

Dr Jaishankar said that many other Japanese businesses are likely to follow Suzuki's lead. He expects them to seize the opportunities presented by India's rapid economic growth, which he estimated would continue at an annual rate of about seven percent.

"Suzuki would not have grown to the level it has if it had not come to India," he said.

Countering China

Quad countries hope that by enhancing their business connections they can reduce their economic dependence on China. Ministers and business leaders attending the meeting in Tokyo discussed ways to diversify supply chains, promote domestic manufacturing, as well as reduce reliance on Chinese imports. 

This business reset also aligns with a commitment to strengthen military cooperation. This would occur, they expect, through joint naval exercises and enhanced intelligence sharing. 

Asked directly about the Indian relationship with China, Dr Jaishankar replied: "Right now, I have to be honest, our relations with China are not doing very well." 

He further noted that in June 2020, China mobilized large numbers of soldiers to the border with India. That violated agreements between the countries. 

This led to a clash in which at least 20 Indian soldiers were killed. "The issue has not been resolved. Obviously, as a neighbor, we hope for a better relationship. But that can only happen if they respect the line of actual control," said Dr Jaishankar, referring to the disputed boundary between the two states. 

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Author: Duncan Bartlett, Diplomatic Correspondent
Arielle Busetto contributed to this article.

Mr Bartlett is the Diplomatic Correspondent for JAPAN Forward and a Research Associate at the SOAS China Institute. Read his other articles and essays.