The Heavenly Land and the Land of the Rising Sun: Historical Linkages, Security Cooperation and Strategic Partnership

Security relations between India and Japan hold great potential to shape the future security architecture of the Indo-Pacific region. This book delves into this aspect holistically tracing the linkages between the two countries with advent of Buddhism into Japan from India, through China and Korea. Geography and strategic factors shaping the security of Japan have been evaluated and issues of defence cooperation, maritime security, cooperation in UN Peace Keeping Operations and strategic partnership between Indian and Japan have been deliberated. Set in both, a bilateral as well as a regional context, the security dynamics between the two countries have been analysed to arrive at pragmatic recommendations that must be implemented for an enhanced relationship in the security realm. Quantitatively assessing India-Japan security cooperation, the book carries out a Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat (SWOT) analysis to arrive at the strategies for enhancement of such cooperation.

A must read for strategists, defence personnel and all scholars of East Asian affairs.

India-Japan cultural and security relations is a subject that has always been intriguing considering the potential it holds for the future security architecture in the Indo-Pacific region. The opportunity to do a research fellowship at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (Manohar Parrikar IDSA) came as a blessing and gave direction to my interest of writing on the subject.

Adarsha Verma has been a Research Fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi. He has a Masters Degree in Weapon Technology, Defence and Strategic Studies and in Management Sciences. The author also has first-hand experience in analysing and handling national security issues. His research interests include security issues of East Asia, Chinese military and the Indian Ocean region. He has published research articles, contributed commentaries in various forums and presented papers in national and international conferences.