New Delhi (VNA) - As geopolitical competition in the Indo-Pacific continues to intensify, the deepening strategic partnership between India and Japan will not only reinforce regional peace, stability and resilience but also create new opportunities for cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), particularly Vietnam.
Dr. Ulupi Borah, Deputy Editor of Synergy Journal at the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS) in New Delhi, made the statement during an interview recently granted to the Vietnam News Agency (VNA)'s resident correspondent ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's visit to India from July 1-3.
According to Borah, regional peace and stability now hinges not only on traditional security factors but are also closely linked to trade, technology and supply chain resilience. Stronger India-Japan collaboration to develop resilient supply chains, reduce single-source dependence and push sustainable connectivity infrastructure will deliver a more balanced economic architecture across the Indo-Pacific.
She called the India-Japan-Australia Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) a critical platform that must be translated into concrete projects to build sustainable supply chain ecosystems. Cooperation in disaster-resilient infrastructure, humanitarian assistance and post-disaster recovery will also generate tangible benefits for the region.
In her view, upholding international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), along with the principles of freedom of navigation and a rules-based international order, remains a cornerstone of India-Japan cooperation. Against the backdrop of mounting complexity in the East Sea and the East China Sea, closer coordination between New Delhi and Tokyo would carry positive implications for ASEAN countries, including Vietnam.
Commenting on ASEAN's role, Borah said the bloc sits at the centre of both India's and Japan's policies. ASEAN seeks to diversify its economic partnerships while strengthening its maritime security capabilities amid intensifying strategic competition. A proposed Japan-ASEAN-India (JAI) trilateral cooperation framework, therefore, could inject new momentum into supply chain resilience, digital connectivity, shipbuilding, defence industries and green transition.
Turning to Vietnam, she said the country is well positioned to become an important partner within such a trilateral framework. Japan brings strengths in capital, advanced technology and industrial management, while India offers a vast market, abundant workforce and strong digital capabilities. Vietnam, meanwhile, is emerging as an attractive destination for electronics, semiconductors and hi-tech manufacturing. These complementary advantages could lay the foundation for joint projects in economic security, supply chains, digital transformation, green transition and maritime security.
Borah concluded that the key challenge is no longer a lack of demand for cooperation but the need to establish effective delivery mechanisms, identify clear priorities and turn ideas into concrete projects.
If pursued effectively, closer India-Japan cooperation linking with ASEAN, particularly Vietnam, would deepen economic and technological connectivity while contributing to peace, stability and a rules-based order across the Indo-Pacific, she said./.
