Japan and India still need time to take a side over Ukraine crisis

Fumio Kishida told Narendra Modi that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had shaken “foundation of international order” required a clear response.

India and Japan are party to the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), a security framework that also includes the United States and Australia, but India is the only Quad member not to have condemned the invasion.

Japan has imposed sanctions on dozens of Russian individuals and organisations since the start of what Russia calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine and has accepted Ukrainian refugees.

“We (Kishida and Modi) confirmed any unilateral change to the status quo by force cannot be forgiven in any region, and it is necessary to seek peaceful resolutions of disputes based on international law,” Kishida told reporters after meeting Modi in New Delhi.

Kishida also announced plans to invest 5 trillion yen ($42 billion) in India over five years. India signed agreements with units of Japan’s Suzuki Motor (7269.T) for an investment of around $1.4 billion to produce electric vehicles and batteries in Modi’s home state Gujarat also involving a vehicle scrappage scheme but it was not clear if this was part of the 5 trillion yen total.

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The leaders expressed their seriousness about the conflict in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis there. Modi refrained from commenting directly on Ukraine but noted that geopolitical incidents were “presenting new challenges”.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India’s foreign secretary, told reporters that the two leaders had “assessed broader implications particularly for the Indo Pacific region. They underscored the importance of safety and security of nuclear facilities in Ukraine.”

Japanese foreign direct investment into India has mainly been in the automobile, electrical equipment, telecommunications, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. Since 2000 investments into India have been around $27.28 billion.

In 2020, the two countries signed an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement that allows for reciprocal stocks of food, fuel and other supplies between their defence forces.