What to Read in The Hindu Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1: India-Japan ties — old partners, new priorities

Context

The Prime Minister’s visit to Japan underscores India’s clear strategic intent, sending signals to both China and the U.S.

Introduction

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan and China, starting on August 29, takes place amid a period of geopolitical flux. While India-China relations show tentative signs of easing after years of tension, there is increasing uncertainty in New Delhi’s ties with Washington, as the Trump administration appears intent on distancing India. In this context, Mr. Modi’s engagement in Tokyo carries significance that extends far beyond bilateral relations.

Japan’s major investment plan

• At the core of the visit is Japan’s announcementof a ¥10 trillion (~$68 billion) investment plan in India over the next decade.
• The investment pledge, among Tokyo’s most ambitious commitmentsto New Delhi, aims to strengthen:
  • Infrastructure,
  • Manufacturing,
  • Clean energy,
  • Technology partnerships.
• This move signals Japan’s long-term stakein India’s growth, particularly as global investors remain cautious about China.
• Japan is also funding the next-generation E10 Shinkansenfor the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail, reflecting both economic collaboration and technology transfer.
• On the strategic front, the two countries plan to revise the 2008 Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation, updating their defence and security partnershipfor contemporary challenges.
• The proposed Economic Security Initiativewill focus on:
  • Semiconductors,
  • Critical minerals,
  • Pharmaceuticals,
  • Clean energy,
    anchoring Japanmore firmly in India’s diversified supply chains.
• Their digital partnershipis also set to expand, covering artificial intelligence and startup ecosystems.
• Collectively, these initiatives position India-Japan tiesat the forefront of technological and security cooperation in Asia, reinforcing their shared commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.

The U.S. factor, a case of strategic balancing

• The timing of the visitis significant: after Tokyo, Mr. Modi is scheduled to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, China.
• India-China bilateral ties, although strained by the 2020 Galwan clash, show tentative stabilisationvia:
  • Resumption of direct flights,
  • Visa relaxations,
  • Trade facilitation efforts.
• The Tokyo-to-Beijing itinerary in a single weekreflects strategic balancing:
  • Engaging a trusted partner and a neighbouring competitorwithout letting one relationship dominate the other.
  • Compartmentalising focus:
    • Tokyo:economic security, defence cooperation, Indo-Pacific stability.
    • Beijing:managing tensions, exploring confidence-building measures, keeping communication channels open.
  • This balancing is critical against the backdrop of S. unpredictability under Trump, which threatens the reliability of the New Delhi-Washington partnership.
    • Previous administrations (George W. Bush to Joe Biden) built the relationship into a cornerstone of Indo-Pacific strategythrough defence cooperation, technology sharing, and people-to-people ties.
    • Trump 2.0risks eroding this progress.
  • The Quad (India, Australia, Japan, U.S.)remains essential to India’s Indo-Pacific vision, but faces challenges due to episodic U.S. engagement:
    • Initially designed to pool capacities among like-minded democracies, its momentum depends on consistent U.S. commitment.
    • Signs of U.S. disengagement risk diluting the Quad’s strategic coherence, raising questions for India, Japan, and Australiaabout sustaining its credibility and operational depth.
  • Beyond economics and defence, the visit carries a broader political signal:
    • Japan’s engagement with Indiademonstrates that long-term cooperation can produce tangible outcomes and diversify its economic footprint.

The message

• The Tokyo visitis less about short-term diplomatic gains and more about signalling steady strategic intent.
• Indiaaims to:
  • Keep channels with Beijing open,
  • Navigate S. unpredictability,
  • Deepen enduring partnershipswith like-minded powers in the region.
• Japan’s commitmentsreinforce India as one of its most reliable partners in addressing Indo-Pacific challenges, including economic resilience and maritime security.
• The visit underscores a hallmark of Indian diplomacyin recent years: flexibility without losing strategic clarity.
• In times of protracted geopolitical uncertainty, Japanemerges as India’s anchor partner.
• Washington’s commitmentappears uncertain under short-term policies, while Beijing, as a competitor, cannot yet overcome underlying mistrust despite gestures of normalisation.

Conclusion

Tokyo provides consistency, resources, and a shared strategic outlook grounded in democratic values and a free and open Indo-Pacific. Therefore, the visit to Japan goes beyond merely strengthening an existing partnership; it is about acknowledging where India’s most reliable support truly lies.

 

Editorial 2: ​Friends and foes

Context

Pakistan is filling the void created by the alienation of India from Bangladesh.

Introduction

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Dhaka, marking the first high-level visit in 13 years, amid efforts to repair strained bilateral ties. The meeting with the Bangladeshi interim government signals a focus on diplomatic engagement, trade, and regional cooperation, even as historical grievances and India’s strategic concerns continue to shape the context.

Pakistan’s High-Level Visit to Dhaka

• Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Darvisited Dhaka over the weekend, marking the first such visit in 13 years.
• He met with members of the Bangladeshi interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, and held talks with his counterpart, Touhid Hossain.

Historical Context and Strained Relations

• Ties between Pakistan and Bangladeshhad been tense since 2009, after Sheikh Hasina came to power.
• Relations were strained due to:
  • Prosecution of collaboratorsduring the 1971 liberation war,
  • The assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahmanand most of his family in 1975,
  • The 2015 expulsion of a Pakistani diplomatlinked to a terror group and the recall of Bangladesh’s High Commissioner.
• Although envoys were later restored, repair efforts accelerated after Hasina’s ouster in August.
• Chinafacilitated a trilateral mechanism in Kunming involving Bangladesh and Pakistan to help nudge ties forward.

Agreements and Areas of Cooperation

• In Dhaka, the two sides agreed to:
  • Restore visa facilitationfor diplomats,
  • Reintroduce direct flights,
  • Provide scholarshipsfor Bangladeshi students,
  • Explore ways to enhance trade, currently under $1 billion.

Outstanding Issues

• The Yunus governmentcontinues to press decades-old demands from Pakistan, including:
  • Formal apology for the 1971 genocide,
  • Financial compensation,
  • Repatriation of “Stranded Pakistanis”or Urdu-speaking Muhajirs still loyal to Pakistan.
• Regional cooperationwas emphasized, including a revival of SAARC, by Mr. Yunus.

India’s Perspective

• Indiaviews the thaw in Pakistan-Bangladesh ties with suspicion due to reports of:
  • Pakistani diplomats supporting Jamaat-e-Islaami student activistsduring anti-Hasina protests,
  • Growing military and intelligence contacts.
• New Delhirisks being cut out of regional dynamics as Pakistan fills the void caused by strained India-Bangladesh ties.
• Despite meetings between Indian and Bangladeshi leaders (e.g., Mr. Modi with Mr. Yunus in April), no visits or invitationshave taken place recently.

Strategic Implications

• With upcoming Bangladesh elections in February, India must:
  • Broaden political engagementwith multiple parties,
  • Encourage a more inclusive processunder the Yunus government.
• Absence of a strong regional South Asian groupingmakes it challenging for India to maintain influence over bilateral ties involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Conclusion

The visit highlights Pakistan-Bangladesh rapprochement through diplomatic talks, trade initiatives, and visa facilitation, but outstanding historical issues and regional strategic rivalries persist. For India, the development underscores the need for broader political engagement in Bangladesh and a realistic approach to managing South Asian regional dynamics.