Kovid Kumar asked: What are the future prospects of India and Japan maritime relations?

Rajaram Panda replies: The present level of cooperation between India and Japan in the maritime domain is good and the future could be better. Both are heavily dependent on imports of oil from the Persian Gulf. Therefore securing critical energy supply routes provides scope for close naval cooperation. India’s geographical position qualifies it to play a critical strategic role in ensuring maritime safety. The Indian Navy has proved its usefulness in this regard and the Japanese are grateful for the Indian Navy’s rescue of the Japanese vessel MV Alondra Rainbow which was hijacked by pirates in November 1999. The Eight-fold Initiatives for Strengthening Japan-India Global Partnership of April 2005 provides the framework for joint exercises against piracy, information sharing, technical assistance, cooperation between Coast Guards, etc. As threats to maritime trade and energy supplies from State and non-State actors continue to increase, one can envisage consolidation of the existing cooperation between India and Japan as well as the further strengthening of such cooperation in future.