Japan’s Fumio Kishida looks to convince India to get tough on Russia

[beijingwalker]

Japan’s Fumio Kishida looks to convince India to get tough on Russia​

Bloomberg
Last Updated: Mar 20, 2023, 06:44 AM IST

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is expected to seek India’s assistance to forge a broader and stronger coalition to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine when he meets Narendra Modi on Monday, adding pressure on New Delhi to choose between major world democracies and a key supplier of energy and weapons.

“As leaders of the G-7 and G-20, I want us to communicate closely in an effort to strengthen cooperation,” Kishida said March 10 when announcing the trip. He is keen to understand India’s position, especially from the viewpoint of developing countries, said a senior Japanese official asking not to be identified as the discussions are private.


India holds the presidency of the G-20, whose members Russia and China have opposed efforts by the wider group to condemn the invasion. The leaders of the G-7, a group of democracies with advanced economies, have renewed their support for Ukraine.

The G-7 countries, themselves members of the G-20, are seeking wider backing for measures to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin including a cap on the price of Russian crude. India and other G-20 members have bought large quantities of discounted Russian oil.

Despite India’s efforts, two crucial G-20 gatherings in February and March — the finance and foreign ministers’ meetings — ended without a consensus after members disagreed over the invasion of Ukraine.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment on Japan’s endeavor to find common ground on Russia between the two groupings.

China Initiative

Kishida is more likely to find the Modi government is on the same page when he announces a new initiative for Indo-Pacific nations to counter China at the Indian Council of World Affairs on Monday.

“I will lay out a ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific Plan for Peace’ by next spring,” the prime minister said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore last June as he outlined the “Kishida Vision for Peace.”

Japan will spend $2 billion in the next three years helping Indo-Pacific nations with equipment such as patrol boats as well as training their personnel to increase “maritime law enforcement capabilities,” Kishida said, adding that the new Indo-Pacific peace plan would include green initiatives and economic security.

The new initiative continues Japan’s earlier plan of working closely with India in the Indo-Pacific region.

While India is locked in a military standoff with China along its disputed Himalayan border, Japan has clashed with China over issues including the ownership of islands in the East China Sea. Tokyo and New Delhi are concerned about Beijing’s assertiveness in the region and are adding depth to their defense and strategic relations.

In January, fighters and transport aircraft of Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force and the Indian Air Force carried out their first joint exercise, simulating complex air defense and attack situations at Hyakuri Air Base as the two countries deepen security cooperation.

Japan’s Fumio Kishida looks to convince India to get tough on Russia

India holds the presidency of the G-20, whose members Russia and China have opposed efforts by the wider group to condemn the invasion. The leaders of the G-7, a group of democracies with advanced economies, have renewed their support for Ukraine.

economictimes.indiatimes.com

 

[khansaheeb]

Didn't Japan attack India in WW2 and were decisively defeated? Japan should stay out of war and conflict and learn from history.

 

[beijingwalker]

Condition for "friendship"

 

[REhorror]

Likely not possible.

Kishida himself is buying russian gas and oil.

I think it's much more likely than Japan is trying to get more favorable deal from Russia by dealing with India.

 

[That Guy]

Lol, it's not gonna happen.

Indians don't care about European wars. They see themselves as a future super power, and any alliance now as being temporary.

The won't go against Russia because they see Russia as a future powerful junior partner to India.

 

[FuturePAF]

Lol, it's not gonna happen.

Indians don't care about European wars. They see themselves as a future super power, and any alliance now as being temporary.

The won't go against Russia because they see Russia as a future powerful junior partner to India.

One US defense analyst, I don’t remember the source said India tries to do what China has done, copy Russian tech to leapfrog, but in the example of the carrier gets stuck and finds it hard to innovate.

India is still absorbing Russian technology, especially in naval systems and missile systems, so I doubt they will dump the Russians unless they can get the same terms from their next best supplier the French. This being unlikely, the Indians will still maintain their relationship with the Russians.

The Indians know this war in Ukraine will one day pass, and don’t want to ditch the Russians when they know the Russians will need India now more then ever. Also the Indians don’t want to make the Russians even more dependent on the Chinese.

 

[Kaniska]

Lol, it's not gonna happen.

Indians don't care about European wars. They see themselves as a future super power, and any alliance now as being temporary.

The won't go against Russia because they see Russia as a future powerful junior partner to India.

And to be honest, even if India and China fight wars and keep our borders hot, our public or citizen, in general, do not have such kind strong anti-China mindset...Whatever anti-China mindset is perceived within our public is due to China's friendship with China rather than China's enmity with India...

Sometimes I wonder, if China and India's relationship is not entangled with Pakistan, India may have settled the border with China.