From Pacific to Indian Ocean, India owes its significance to Abe

For India, the former Japan PM will remain a special leader. His fondness for India and his vision for bilateral ties have been central to his vision of Indo-Pacific

- YESHI SELI

FIGURATIVELY, the Pacific never came as close to the Indian Ocean as it did almost a decade back in the realm of geostrategic realities. Former Japan PM Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated on Friday, had not only envisioned it years ago, but also helped define it in the four-country security construct the Quad (the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue encompassing the US, Australia, Japan and India), which Beijing distinctly fears. Abe thus endeared himself to New Delhi, bringing PM Modi to call him a “dear friend, who will always be the face of IndiaJapan friendship.”