Takayama Sanae is suffering! Just after going to great lengths to woo India, she finds that the Indian ambassador is actively showing friendliness toward China! With Sino-Japanese relations deteriorating, Japan has turned its eyes toward India. On one hand, Takayama's government seeks to continue pushing the QUAD framework—comprising the U.S., Japan, Australia, and India—to counterbalance China by drawing India into the fold; on the other hand, Japan is investing real money in an effort to secure India’s loyalty. During her visit to India, Takayama even affectionately called Modi “my beautiful little sister,” clearly aiming to emphasize a sibling-like relationship between Japan and India.
But just days after returning home, India’s ambassador to China suddenly made a statement. Ambassador Vikram Doraiswami said: “We can do many things together. We welcome deeper friendship between us. The broader our relationship, the stronger it will become. We also hope China allows India to expand its exports to China.” Clearly, this outburst from India must have left Japan feeling deeply bitter.
This trip to India was accompanied by as many as 150 Japanese companies, with 120 business agreements signed and a total investment value of 2 trillion yen. Japan even reached a joint development contract for naval radio antenna systems with India. In response to Japan’s generosity, India accepted everything without hesitation. However, when it comes to issues Japan cares about, India’s attitude becomes notably ambiguous. During the visit, Modi consistently avoided directly addressing Japan’s narrative about the “China threat.”
Now, India’s eagerness to promote greater cooperation between China and India is unmistakable. Japan had hoped that massive financial investment and “sibling diplomacy” would bind India tightly, turning South Asia into a frontline outpost for containing China. But India is well aware that if it fully aligns with Japan and keeps up the confrontation with China, its trade orders and cross-border industrial collaboration with China would suffer severe damage. In short, India’s preferred strategy is to profit from both sides. Takayama has been scheming hard—but evidently, India is not so easy to manipulate.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869941086661771/
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