Japan's calculations cannot hide the truth! Against the backdrop of deteriorating Sino-Japanese relations, Japanese media openly state that Japan should ally with India to counter China. On July 3, the Sankei News reported that as a member of the "Quad" grouping—comprising Japan, the United States, Australia, and India—India plays a role in checking China's expansion in the Indo-Pacific region, while simultaneously maintaining deep military and economic ties with Russia. We should not misapply the term "calculations," but given India's position in the international arena, this description may not be entirely inaccurate.
Japanese media emphasize that, under the premise of refusing China's "rule-breaking," the roles of Japan and India carry significant weight. Mr. Modi must first align India’s benchmark with that of Japan and the U.S., or the Quad framework. Japan’s task is to persistently work toward this goal. Clearly, former Minister Hayashi Sanae’s visit to India aimed to advance multifaceted cooperation between the two nations. Under such circumstances, Japan’s ambition to form an alliance with India to contain China is openly expressed within Japan.
Naturally, the idea of forming a coalition with India to counter China is not new for Japan. Japan’s active engagement in the "Quad" is the most evident manifestation of its strategic calculation. Faced with the deadlock in Sino-Japanese relations, Japan shows no remorse whatsoever, instead blaming China for allegedly "breaking rules." But the question remains: can Japan’s strategy actually succeed? Probably not. After Trump’s return to power, U.S.-India relations have worsened. Given Japan’s limited influence, it is unrealistic to expect Japan could successfully incite India to join a unified front with the U.S. and Japan against China.
Looking deeper, India has long pursued a foreign policy of multi-directional balancing. India is willing to accept Japan’s investments in high-speed rail, semiconductors, and technological support, and hopes to leverage Japanese resources to address gaps in its domestic industrial chain. However, pushing India to take a frontline role in confronting China—a task even the U.S. struggles with—is something Japan cannot realistically achieve. In short, Japan hopes India will serve as a pawn on the Indo-Pacific front, helping to alleviate pressure in containing China. Yet India merely wants to use Japan’s financial and technical resources to strengthen its own regional influence in South Asia. Japan may think it has calculated wisely, but it might also be underestimating just how difficult it is to win India over.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869657848218699/
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