Japan and Australia have RECENTLY signed an agreement to cooperate closely on defence as a step to bolster security ties against the backdrop of China's rising military and economic might in the Pacific region.
The Australian PM while emphasizing the need of the agreement said ;
The Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), Japan's first with any country, will allow the Australian and Japanese militaries to work seamlessly with each other on defence and humanitarian operations.
Morrison further said. “Our special strategic partnership is stronger than it has ever been, reflecting our shared values, our commitment to democracy and human rights and our common interests in a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific region.”
A few months ago Australia , UK and USA had signed a similar security agreement called AUKUS . The three countries in September ’21 formed a defence alliance, inorder to confront strategic tensions in the Pacific where China-US rivalry is growing.
What are its Implications?
All these treaties have come up with an aim to check China’s belligerence in Pacific Ocean.
But the basic question that arises is ; Is n’t this a duplication when there is already Quad in place?
It is important to note that Quad which has four members ; USA , Japan, Australia and India.
However, Its members have now signed bilateral security agreements with each other leaving India high and dry.
Perhaps this is done keeping India’s reservations on the Objectives of Quad. India did not want Quad to be focused against any country. As a result in the objectives of Quad the member nations avoided naming China.
However, the major concern of all the members was primarily; China’s growing belligerence.
Do these treaties leave India in NO WHERE to Go position, in case of a crisis?
Despite the fact that Chinese for last many years have been bullying India, despite the fact that in last 20-30 years China has modernized and equipped its armed forces to such a level that its hard for India to challenge China militarily, all by itself. Although on land it may still be able to do so but surely in waters it cannot, China is churning out warships in hundreds and even US cannot match that speed.
Despite the fact that India now finds itself being challenged by China in its own backyard as China has either replaced or soon going to replace India as the largest trading partner of Bangladesh, Nepal, Srilanka etc.
Despite the fact that China has been occupying India’s territory and has now in last few years have even established camps on our side of LAC. We have had 14 rounds of talks and they all ended in stale mate.
Despite the fact that the erstwhile CDS ; Gen Rawat had warned of fighting a war on two and half fronts and India’s inability to do so on multiple fronts.
India is still reluctant to take China head on and sign a defense pact or name China, is really intriguing.
What is stopping us then?
We do not wish to ally ourselves with a Group whose sole agenda is Anti China - Implying we still prefer to be Non Aligned.
Or, is it because India has a roaring trade relationship with China worth almost 100 billion dollars and despite all the border tensions, China is the largest trading partner of India.
Or, We do not wish to antagonize our ally like Russia who is now friend of China but is anti west.
Should We Plan for the worst or Live on Hope?
The current Govt needs to look back and understand the purpose the security agreement that India had signed in 1971 with USSR had served ; it kept USA and China away from the war.
A Bilateral or Multi lateral defense Pact will take care of the mishaps or even harassment particularly when the other side is behaving like a bully.
We are still behaving like we behaved during Nehruvian era ; sending troops unarmed to Galwan, withdrawing troops from strategic heights, hoping that China will behave and display concern towards our security needs.
The Nation has to prepare itself for the worst and not just rely on HOPE.
If one accepts that India is quite capable of dealing with the threat emerging from China and Pakistan then why would ;
USA need to get into an agreement particularly when its armed forces are much more powerful than what we have.
Japan need to sign an agreement with USA as well as Australia when Japan’s Navy is also amongst the largest and better equipped Navies of the world supported by a high tech Industrial base to support it.
It took us many years to deal with Pakistan as enemy deals with an enemy, why this preferential treatement to China ?
China can not become a power to reckon with having friends like Pakistan, Srilanka , Mynmmar or latin American Countries. It also needs powers like India on its side to find a place for itself in the comity of Nations.
Therefore, if India has to make China behave responsibly it has to leave the inhibitions of naming China and sign a bilateral def pact with the Quad members otherwise Quad will have no meaning and serve no purpose, because finally it all boils down to SECURITY CONCERNS.