Prakash Nanda, in an article in the Organiser, places India’s engagement with Japan in the context of the Japan-China-India triangular relations. Despite the fact that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit took place at a time when both he and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have uncertain political futures ahead of them, “strategic partnership with Japan is crucial in regional geopolitics,” he writes.

“Japanese investors, who want to gradually shift many of their operations to India from China, thanks to that country’s hegemonistic ambitions, growing anti-Japanese riots and escalating labour costs, find Indian infrastructure — roads, railway lines, ports, and power situation — highly inadequate,” he laments, adding that the CPM must have made their Chinese masters very unhappy because they were unable to prevent Abe from addressing both houses of Indian Parliament, like they had done with George Bush in March 2006.

Friends, foes

M S.N. Menon answers the question — do we know America and China well enough? — in the negative, adding that is why we have serial crises in our relations with them.

The pro-US lobby in India mainly serves American interests, while the anti-US lobby (mainly the Left) serves Chinese interests. He writes, “But we did pay a heavy price for our non-alignment. And got no thanks for our sacrifices.”

He adds, “Let us be clear on this: China can never be a friend of India, nor can it allow India to emerge as a great power. But America can be a friend”.

... contd.