As the Chinese expansionist Tsunami hits the South China Sea and the Chinese proxy North Korea continues firing nuclear ballistic missiles and the declining sole super power watches with consternation, Japan is faced with a strange predicament. Its pacifist and anti-nuclear ideology is under serious strain. Japan is in search of new friends and allies. India facing a resurgent China on the Himalayas and in the Indian ocean region, becomes a natural ally. Shedding its nuclear inhibtions against India, Japan has strechted its hands towards India . Under pressing circumstances, Japan has come out of its pacifist closet and has lifted the ban on arms export and overseas deployment of its soldiers.
A civilian nuclear deal with India is in the offing. Nippon, as the Japanese call it, has offered India US-2 sea planes even at a discount. Japan has agreed not only to build India’s North East but also indicated its willness to partner India in its overseas project likeChabahar port in Iran. Japanese delegation has visited Sikkim and agreed to establish Robotics industry there. Japan has also agreed to expedite bullet train projects in India. Above all it has agreed to help India upgrade its military infrastructure particularly in the ocean to contain China. It is helping India install submarine detection systemslike Sonar walls and under sea optical fibre networks ostensibly to detect Chinese nuclear submarines in the Indian Ocean. But despite all these, Japan has remained undervalued and largely unexplored by India.
DEFENCE:-
Land:- Japan is world famous for its robotics and electronics prowess. India faces a variety of aerial threats as it is surrounded by a terrorist nuclear country and its mentor, the nuclear enabled rising super power, China. Radars and electronic warfare systems can nutralise these threats. Japan has all the wherewithal as it is faced by an eccentric North Korea and its mentor China.
Japan is the best missile force in the world. India is producing a variety of missiles – ballistic, cruise, SAM, LR-SAM, AAMRAM etc. Japanese expertise can enrich India in all these category.
Besides India can greatly benefit from Japanese missile defence research. India is to buy five Russian S400 anti missile systems. Besides it has its own BMD programme. Japan, facing a constant nuclear threat, is perfecting its missile defence capabilities though it is under US nuclear umbrella. India can perfect its seeker and guidance technology from Japan. Japan’s military is network-centric. India can learn from Japan its network centric warfare infrastructure.
Japan’s ultra modern Type 10 MBT is famous for its agility, armour and network centric orientation. India can explore whether they can be effectively used in mountain warfare in high altitude areas like Ladakh.
Sea:- But Japan can contribute significantly in the naval arena. India in the Indian ocean region is under continuous threat from the Chinese nuclear submarines but it doesnot have enough anti-submarine warfare helicopters. It doesnot have a helicopter careereither, though it is obsessed with air craft carriers. Japan has the most remarkable ASW capability except the US. It has ASW helicopters and helicopter carriers. So India can easily learn from them.
In the field of antiship missiles Japan scores big. India, despite its variety of missiles, doesnot score high in the field. Here Japan can help India.
It is unfortunate that India has not endeavoured greatly to get the Japanese SORYU class submarines though they are next only to the nuclear submarines in their capability. Unfortunately the Indian policy makers seems sceptical about the utilities of the US2 sea planes. Though the sea planes are primarily meant for search and rescue operations, they can be useful for military operations like special force operations, pilot rescue operations and even for troop carrying missions. Further more they can have special significance in thestrategic commands like the Andamans. Therefore the chinese are building the world’s largest sea plane for deployment in the South China sea.
Super Computers:- India’s mission to produce 75 high speed super computers for its research institutes would have been more than successful with Japanese participation. Supercomputers are extremely useful in a variety of applications including defence. In the nuclear field the supercomputers for India has special significance as it can experiment for nuclear bombs using computer simulationwithout really exploding them.
Asia-Pacific Alliance:- India shouldnot shy away from forming an official Asia Pacific alliance or the Arch of Democracy comprising the US, Australia, Japan and India. This is extremely useful to ward off Chinese influence specially in the Indian Ocean Region.
Global Techno-Commercial Collaboration:- Japan can be aGlobal Techno-Commercial Partner for India particularly in Asia and Africa. Japan has already expressed its willingness to partner India in the development of Chabahar port and South East Asian highway project. The Indo-Japan techno-commercial block can be extremely successful in Afghanistan too.
Space:- In the field of space co-operation, which until recent past was a no-no to Japan, India can benefit immensely from Japanese expertise. In view of Chinese anti-satellite capabilities the Japanese will be more than willing to share atleast the defensive technologies.
Nuclear:- Post Indo-Japan Nuclear deal which is almost a certainity there can be immense scope for nuclear commerce, co-operation and research. Besides post-Fukusima nuclear accident, the Japanese experience can be valuable for the safety of Indian nuclear reactors.
Manufacturing:- To increase its GDP rate sufficiently India needs to strengthen its manufacturing sector. Post South China sea conflict Japanese manufacturing is willing to relocate from China. If India provides enough opportunities for investment, the Make in India programme can immensely benefit from the Japanese manufacturing. So Japanese SEZs should be encouraged in every state of the Indian Union.
Infrastructure:- For a country to be properly developed infrastructure is the main pre-requisite. Roads, Ports, Air-Ports, Railways and Bridges etc play crucial role in the economic development of a country. Japanese expertise along with its easy credit can boost Indian infrastructure. Besides for military transportation along the mountainous terrains bordering China and Pakistan Japanese high speed trains with adequate infrastructure can be of great help. Furthermore to elevate the Andamans to the level of a world class strategic command base Japanese assistance can be of great help because being a collection of Islands itself, Japan knows more than anyone else what island infrastructure is.
Robotics:- Japan is the world leader in robotics. Despite extensive investment, robotics has not been so much successful in India. Japan’s expertise in Robotics should be utilised by India for its civilian as well as military needs.
Deplomatically India should launch its track 2 initiative forRussia-Japan rapproachment. A strong Russian-Japan relationship is in India’s technological and commercial interest.
So post Indo-Japan nuclear deal, let us hope the Indian Govt. discovers the Japanese potential and let the Land of the Rising Sun,herald a new sunrise for India- the rise of a Superpower India.
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This article has been written by Mr.MONOTAPASH MUKHERJEE exclusively for www.Defenceupdate.in
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