In 1868 or even in 1880s, Japan lagged behind even colonial India in many parameters including technical infrastructure, education, railways, etc. Neither was it a rich nation. Perhaps the corollary to it never being too early for achieving Jiritsu in defence hardware, is that it is never too late or too early to begin the journey towards ​swavalamban (self-reliance)​.

China and the Indian Ocean Region China has been incessantly increasing its footprint in the Indian Ocean in the past decade by undertaking port infrastructure projects, managing and running ports, gaining port access for naval platforms, acquiring military bases and conducting naval exercises with countries in the region.

Steady Growth. Although some signs of a somewhat waning economy are now visible in China (economic growth rate sliding down from 10.5% in 2010 to 7.4% in 2014) she has experienced a steady growth cycle for the past two decades, catapulting the country as the world’s second largest economy. Click here to read full Paper

The Indian Ocean has been the hub of major economic activity and global realpolitik since the end of the Second World War. It has assumed greater importance since the penultimate decade of the last century and will continue to remain so in the 21st century. The development and progress witnessed in South East Asia, China and India during this period has further extended this geographical construct to the western reaches of the Pacific leading to what some call the great strategic arc of the Indo-Pacific.