India and Japan: Past, Present and Future

Rajaram Panda

The book is the outcome of a two-year research fellowship at the Prime Minister Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi. The emergence of new security challenges in the region demands greater and deeper cooperation between India and Japan on not only bilateral issues but also on regional and global issues so as to maintain peace and stability in the region. The sharing of Asian values between the two countries further contributes to the mutual understanding. The book offers a comprehensive evaluation of the bilateral ties between India and Japan in the historical context and connects to the significance and emergence of the robustness of the relationship in contemporary times. In particular, the book dwells on the less explored issues, such as the diaspora and the roles of both countries in developing India’s Northeastern region, particularly during the long-tenured Prime Ministership of Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe. The book attempts to cover the micro-analysis of issues either overlooked or underplayed in the past academic literature.

The complementarity and convergence of interests of both countries in the security and economic aspects are comprehensively analysed in the chapters. Providing some key recommendations the book aspires to be impactful for policy makers in defining the future directions of the relationship between the two countries.

The book is enriched by the author’s several visits and stays in Japan, as close observations on the ground and interactions with Japanese academics help provide a balanced perspective on the study.

Rajaram Panda

Dr. Rajaram Panda is a distinguished scholar, specializing in Japan, Northeast Asia, and Indo-Pacific issues. Dr. Panda earned his Ph.D. in 1981 from the School of International Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

Dr. Panda has held numerous prominent positions throughout his career. He served as the Foreign Editor for the Newstime English daily in Hyderabad (1983-1994) and was the Chief Program Officer at The Japan Foundation New Delhi Office (1994-2009). He has also been a Senior Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) from 2009 to 2012, a Lok Sabha Research Fellow from 2018 to 2020, and a Senior Fellow at the Prime Minister’s Museum and Library (PMML) from 2021 to 2023. Notably, he was the ICCR Chair Professor at Reitaku University in Japan from 2016 to 2018.

Currently, Dr. Panda is a Member of the Governing Council at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), a Member of the Governing Council at the Centre for Security and Strategic Studies, an Associate Member at the India International Centre, and an Examiner of M.Phil and Ph.D. dissertations

Dr. Panda has made substantial contributions to academic literature. He has authored two books, edited six, and contributed 21 book chapters. He is also credited with 184 papers published in professional journals.

Contents

Acknowledgements

1. Introduction
2. Legacy that Abe Left Behind
3. Sculpting a New Economic Partnership
4. Indian Diaspora: The Case of Indians in Japan
5. India-Japan Partnership and Northeast India
6. India-Japan: Defence and Strategic Engagement
7. Conclusion and Policy Recommendations
Select Bibliography
Index