This book analyses the competing power politics that exists between the three major Asian powers - China, India, and Japan - on infrastructural development across the Indo-Pacific. It examines the competing policies and perspectives of these Asian powers on infrastructure development initiatives and explores the commonalities and contradictions between them that shape their ideas and interests. In brief, the volume looks into the strategic contention that exists between China's "Belt and Road Initiative" (BRI; earlier officially known as "One Belt, One Road" - OBOR) and Japan's "Expanded Partnership for Quality Infrastructure" (PQI) and initiatives like the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) and position India's geostrategic and geo-economic interests in between these two competing powers and their mammoth infrastructural initiatives.
Associate Fellow, IDSA, Dr Titli Basu’s article on Japan’s support to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), titled ‘Japan’s Belt and Road Puzzle Decoded’ was published in ‘The Diplomat’ on February 28, 2018.
The article argues that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is involved in a carefully considered attempt to discard a narrow approach — pursued in the case of the AIIB — and engage with China with the objective of shaping it as a responsible actor and upholding the highest standards of global governance in accordance with international norms.
The India-Japan ‘action-oriented partnership’ is founded on the pillars of mutuality of interests, shared universal values and commonality of vision in the Indo-Pacific.
Associate Fellow, IDSA, Dr Titli Basu’s article on Japan’s defence stand, titled ‘Kim Jong-un's Crazy Summer: A Litmus Test for Japan’ was published by ‘The Diplomat’ on September 2, 2017.
Associate Fellow, IDSA, Dr Titli Basu’s article, ‘Contest for Influence: Japan’s Agenda in Southeast Asia ’ was published in Global Asia Vol. 12, No. 2, Summer 2017.
Associate Fellow, IDSA, Dr Titli Basu’s article on the need for reforms in ADB amid growing competition from other multilateral development banks, titled ‘Asian Development Bank at 50 and Japan’s puzzle’ was published in 'East Asia Forum' on June 9, 2017.
Associate Fellow, IDSA, Dr Titli Basu’s article on India-Japan cooperation in Africa, titled, ‘Thinking Africa: India, Japan, and the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor’ was published in ‘The Diplomat’ on June 3, 2017.
Given the fluidity in East Asian geopolitics and China’s arrival as a key variable in the international system, Japan has been forced to respond to the asymmetrical power politics. As China is carving out a sphere of influence for itself which is increasingly eclipsing Japan’s international stature, Abe has the task of presenting the case of where and how does Japan fit in.
Associate Fellow, Dr. Titli Basu’s article on ‘Forging India-Japan Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific Theatre’ was published in Journal of Indian Ocean Studies Vol. 25, No 1. April 2017. ISSN 0972-3080.
