A new article was published on The Diplomat by Dr. Jeffrey Hornung & Prof. Shyam Tekwani May 27 entitled “Modi is NOT India’s Shinzo Abe.”

Despite obvious similarities, Modi and Abe differ substantially. Still, Indo-Japanese ties will flourish under them.

Excerpt:

“Building on this past decade of growth, and undergirded by their mutual admiration, personal friendship, and a desire for closer bilateral ties, Indo-Japan ties will flourish under Modi and Abe. Both recognize the importance of strengthening their domestic economies while simultaneously expanding their bilateral ties from the existing economic foundation toward stronger strategic ties. From Japan’s perspective, it has spent most of the past decade quietly establishing and then strengthening strategic relationships with countries throughout the region. Alongside Australia, India is at the top of its hierarchy of new relationships and arguably forms the western-most anchor of Japan’s foreign policy strategy. From India’s perspective, engagement with Japan and a furtherance of its Look East policy will likely form the centerpiece of its foreign policy, particularly since Modi’s status as a pariah with the U.S. is likely to constrain ties with Washington.”

Read the full article online at: http://thediplomat.com/2014/05/modi-is-not-indias-shinzo-abe/ 

Jeffrey W. Hornung and Shyam Tekwani are associate professors at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu, Hawaii. Dr. Hornung is also an Adjunct Fellow with the Office of the Japan Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC. The views expressed in this article are their own.

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