Agreed on Common Threat

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had the tenth meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, located in western India on Thursday. Looking for common standpoint in international politics, Abe insisted on threat of North Korea on international security, while Modi expected cooperation in building infrastructure to develop homeland. They agreed on expanding security cooperation to deal with growing instability.

In the joint statement, both leaders accused North Korea as significant and real threat, demanding the despotic regime abandoning of nuclear and missile development and self-restraint of provocative action. They also required international community to strictly and entirely implement United Nations Security Council resolutions for maximize the pressure on the North. Abe did not forget including the demand of early settlement of the issue of Japanese abductees.

Abe stressed the achievement in the meeting. “We are taking definitive measures against North Korea,” said Abe in his press conference, “with an agreement of appealing to the world for letting North Korea implement UNSC resolution and change their policy.” Two leaders also reconfirmed the importance of freedom of navigation and aviation to achieve “Free, Open and Prosperous Indo-Pacific Region,” a concept which Abe proposed.

Abe and Modi reached an agreement of Open Sky, with which airlines would be able to decide how many flights they would have within total slots of arrival and departure in six international airports in each country. Abe pledged ¥190 billion of yen loan for building infrastructure in India, including high-speed bullet train system. Based on Japan-India Atomic Agreement, they agreed on establishing public-private conference for trading technology of nuclear power plant.

The cooperation in infrastructure is to support development in India, which is facing pressure from China. Raising One Belt One Road policy, Xi Jinping administration is promoting economic framework around India. It hopes to connect to Europe with roads and sea lanes through Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan, that is called Pearl Necklace. Recognizing China’s strategy as opaque and exclusive, Abe and Modi focus on strategic counteraction along with Modi’s Act East Strategy.

India and China had a military standoff in Doklam, Bhutan, earlier this year. India has been keeping high alert against the move of China. Japan is also suffering from constant invasion of Chinese official ships around Senkaku Islands. It is inevitable for Japan and India to share international strategy, which may not be working though.