From industry to disaster, 75 billion new plan to counter China, what happened about Indo Pacific in Kishida’s visit to India?

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has announced a comprehensive new plan for an open and free Indo-Pacific. The declaration promised billions of dollars in investment to help the region’s economies in everything from industry to disaster prevention. The plan announced in New Delhi is seen as part of Tokyo’s bid to forge stronger partnerships with countries in South and Southeast Asia to counter China’s growing assertiveness. Kishida said the new free and open Indo-Pacific plan has “four pillars” – maintaining peace, tackling new global issues with the cooperation of Indo-Pacific countries, achieving global connectivity through various platforms and the use of open seas and skies. Security is to be ensured.

Japan pledged to increase aid to $75 billion by 2030 through private investment and yen loans, and through official government assistance and grants. “We plan to expand cooperation within the free and open Indo-Pacific framework,” Kishida told the Indian Council of World Affairs. He looked at increasing connectivity between the countries and enhancing maritime defense and security among like-minded nations. China has increased its military presence in the Indo-Pacific region and rapidly modernized its navy while promoting its Belt and Road Initiative.

Kishida said, “The kind of connectivity where you only rely on one country creates political vulnerability. Our goal is to increase the number of options that each country has so that they can overcome these vulnerabilities and create opportunities for connectivity.” Through this, more economic development can be achieved.