‘CONFLUENCE OF THE SEAS' THE INDIA-US-JAPAN TRILATERAL

The trilateral grouping has conducted only a few trilateral summits till now and has not been successful in any path-breaking achievement. Seeing the recurring conflicts that emerge in the Indo-Pacific, the trilateral dialogue has not taken any concrete steps to mitigate the tensions.

- HIMANSHI BAHL*

Introduction

The India-US- Japan trilateral dialogue gained traction as a Foreign Policy initiative due to the convergence of political and economic interests between the three countries. The core premise for this convergence was the propagation of the concept of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP). FOIP is based on values of freedom, democracy and rule of law – values that all three countries imbibe. The nations’ leadership sees this trilateral as a vehicle to promote a rule-based order amongst a complex situation in the region, with Chinese expansion serving as a looming threat. India, US and Japan along with Australia are the champions of this concept. It has led to a deepening of their strategic ties.

Premises and Stakeholders of the India-USJapan Trilateral

As described by H.R. McMaster, former U.S. Security Adviser, the strategy consists of seven interlinked and inter-dependent premises which are Freedom of navigation, Rule of law, Respect for sovereignty, Private enterprise, Open markets and Freedom and independence of all nations.