ABSTRACT
The U.S.-China rivalry is surely critical in the Indo-Pacific regional dynamics. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated China’s assertive expansionism and a U.S.-China Cold War. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is trapped in the South China Sea disputes and U.S.-China competition. Amidst escalating great-power politics, Japan and India work together to realize a rules-based ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ region. Japan and India share stakes in shaping the Indo-Pacific regional dynamics to support ‘ASEAN centrality and unity’ in cooperation with the Quad, AUKUS, G7, etc. Is there scope for an India-Japan-ASEAN triangular partnership? What specific cooperation could Japan and India forge with ASEAN? This chapter examines the development of the Japan-India strategic partnership and their ‘Indo-Pacific vision’, explores the scope for Japan-India-ASEAN cooperation, and identifies common areas of triangular cooperation. This chapter argues that Japan and India can explore the trilateral partnership with ASEAN as ‘middle-power cooperation’ vis‐à‐vis emerging great-power politics.
