This article analyses the evolution of relations between India and Japan since the Second World War when the Empire of the Rising Sun was seen by many Indian freedom fighters as an ally in the struggle for independence from British colonial rule. Following decades of relative aloofness in the Cold War climate, the end of American-Soviet bipolarity heralded a new era of growing cordiality and cooperation between the two states which share concerns about the growing power and assertiveness of the People’s Republic of China with which both have territorial disputes. The strategic and economic partnership agreements between Tokyo and New Delhi cover many critical areas such as heavy industry, advanced and new technologies, defence and regional security in the Indo-Pacific, energy generation, space exploration, urban design and management as well as the modernisation of agriculture, communication and transport infrastructure.
