PeaceNet

  In the wake of converging interests and deepening relations between India and Japan as well as India and South Korea in economic and political fronts, the idea of a launching an India-Japan-Korea trilateral dialogue seems relevant. The relevance of such an initiative lies in the fact that all the three countries are deepening their economic and security interests by developing institutional framework to address bilateral as well as regional issues. India’s emergence of a transitional power in the midst of diffusion of power and geopolitical transformation at the global level, the trilateral idea would appear attractive for Japan and Korea to engage with India. The rise of China and its assertive stances on territorial issues draw the three countries also to share common viewpoints.

Rationale

  As interests of countries in the region are converging, dialogues are taking place at bilateral, trilateral and multilateral levels. Trilateral dialogues are taking place between Japan-Korea-China, and Japan-Korea-US and these are successful. India and Japan have already 1.5 Track dialogue in place. Even South Korea, North Korea and the US are trying to have a trilateral dialogue to discuss the nuclear issue. Therefore, an India-Japan-Korea trilateral initiative does not seem out of place. Even there are talks of an India-Russia-US trilateral initiative.

Background

  The idea of the trilateral germinated during a dinner reception hosted by the Director General of the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) in April 21, 2011 in honour of a delegation from the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS) headed by Chancellor Joon-gyu Lee. During the visit of India’s Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna to South Korea in June 2010, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the ICWA and IFANS and the visit of the IFANS delegation was the first bilateral between the two think tanks.

  This author has been following closely the relationship between India and Japan, India and Korea, and Japan and Korea and felt that these three countries share a lot on various issues. It was felt, therefore, relevant to get the three to a common table to discuss issues of mutual interests.

  The idea was floated in the presence of the Joint Secretary (East Asia), Ministry of External Affairs, and South Korea’s Ambassador Kim Joong-Keun who attended the reception. The idea instantly found appeal. I informed both that I shall raise the issue with the Japanese Ambassador Akitaka Saiki in New Delhi, with whom I had a dinner engagement at his residence the following day, April 22. Amb. Saiki welcomed the idea in principle. Subsequently, I followed up the idea by sending e-mails to three of them to move to the next step.

  The initial question was at what level the idea should be launched. There was an opinion that the idea should be institutionalized at government-to-government level straight away but found little favour. At this time when the issue of China’s rise is creating anxiety throughout the Asian region, it was argued that the three countries coming together into a common platform might unnecessarily provoke the Asian neighbour. The idea of an India-Japan-Australia-US quadrilateral in 2008 that was aborted before taking off was cited as an example. But the idea of India-Japan-Korea trilateral is not triggered because of China factor. There are a host of other issues in which the three countries can share views.

  Following this, Ambassador Kim sent the First Secretary (Political) of the embassy to meet me on 29 April to get more detailed idea of the concept that I had in mind. This was followed by a separate meeting with Amb Kim on 6 July to further fine tune the concept. The first informal meeting between the two ambassadors, Joint Secretary (East Asia) and me took place over lunch on 14 July hosted by Amb Kim at his residence, where the concept was discussed threadbare. It was agreed that the concept is a good idea to launch first at Track II level on annual basis by engaging academics to discuss on issues already identified.

  Since I was to travel to Korea from October 27 as a guest of the Korea Foundation for a week and meet several scholars in many think tanks to solicit their responses to the trilateral idea, a luncheon meeting was hosted on 18 October by the Joint Secretary to discuss the next step. It was finally agreed that the concept should be launched at Track 1.5 level by engaging four scholars each from the three countries and discuss the issues already identified earlier in three separate sessions. The host country should organize a keynote speech by a senior official of the government and the officials from the government can have only observer status during the dialogue. It was also agreed that the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses (India), IFANS (Korea) and Japan Institute of International Affairs (Japan) should be the nodal agencies for this project alternating between the three countries. It was agreed that India, where the concept originated, should host the first meeting in March 2012. But it transpired during my visit to IFANS, April 2012 would be the ideal time as the Korean scholars will be busy for the Nuclear Security Summit that Korea is hosting in March 2012.

Response

  I found overwhelming endorsement to the idea from scholars in many think tanks that I visited. The think tanks that I visited are Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA, IFANS, Jeju Peace Institute, Korea Institute for National Unification, Yonsei University, and the Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS). Even the Indian Ambassador, whom I called on, welcomed the idea.

  During a visit to Japan in September 2011 on a separate program, I raised the idea during my meetings with officials in Ministry of Defense, METI and MOFA. The idea found support. Even two former ambassadors to India and some journalists whom I met, endorsed the idea.

Issues to be raised

  The following topics can be taken up for discussion, though not all of them can be discussed in the first meeting. These are:

· ​Global power shift and the issue of a regional institutional architecture

· ​Role of the military in the changing environment, in particular the role in peace-keeping operations

· ​Nation-state building

· ​Non-Traditional Security Issues such as terrorism, disaster management, climate change, environment, cyber security etc.

· ​Issue of Regional Security, Securing sea lanes of communications, maritime security, and piracy

· ​Global governance Issue

· ​Bilateral ties with the US of India, Japan and South Korea

· ​Nuclear Issue (cooperation between the three countries) and nuclear safety

· Issue of Global/Regional commons

· ​Af-Pak

· ​China-North Korea-Pakistan nexus vis-a-vis nuclear security threats

· ​Competing claims over resources in South China Sea, India-Vietnam Relations and China’s response

  Finally, the idea is conceived to be not against any third country but for striving to find common ground for mutual welfare and contribute to the establishment of a peaceful and stable order in the Asia-Pacific.