インドのモディ氏、「寺よりトイレ」の誓いを貫け
2014.05.16（金） Financial Times
Narendra Modi: India's Shinzo Abe
India’s next prime minister has much in common with Japan’s nationalistic incumbent.
By Brahma Chellaney
May 16, 2014
Restoring momentum to the relationship with the United States – damaged recently by grating diplomatic tensions and trade disputes – is another pressing challenge. But Modi’s commitment to pro-market economic policies and defense modernization is likely to yield new opportunities for US businesses and lift the bilateral relationship to a new level of engagement.
America’s strategic interests will be advanced by likely new defense cooperation and trade that boosts U.S. arms sales and creates avenues for joint military coordination. The U.S. already conducts more military exercises with India than with any other country.
With the US having expressed no regret for its revocation of his visa, Modi is unlikely to go out of his way to befriend the U.S. by seeking a White House visit. Instead, he is expected to wait for US officials to come calling.
By contrast, Modi is likely to remember states, such as Japan and Israel, that courted him even as the U.S .targeted him. Modi’s 2007 and 2012 visits to Japan opened new avenues for Japanese investment in business-friendly Gujarat.
Moreover, Modi has forged a special relationship with Japan and built personal rapport with Abe. When Abe returned to power, Modi congratulated him with a telephone call.
Modi’s victory is likely to turn Indo-Japanese ties – Asia’s fastest-developing bilateral relationship – into the main driver of India’s “Look East” strategy, which, with America’s blessing, seeks to strengthen economic and strategic cooperation with US allies and partners in East and Southeast Asia. Abe, who has sought to build security options for Japan beyond the current US-centric framework, has argued that his country’s ties with India hold “the greatest potential of any bilateral relationship anywhere in the world.”
A deeper Japan-India entente under Abe and Modi could potentially reshape the Asian strategic landscape. It is no surprise that Abe rooted for a Modi victory.
Why Modi matters
His blunt style could galvanize India. Voters have high expectations of his ability to boost the economy, but many Muslims are nervous about the right-wing Hindu nationalist.
By Peter Ford, Staff Writer / May 16, 2014
インド10年ぶり政権交代 首相に経済改革派・モディ氏
2014/5/16 20:44
モディ氏はグジャラート州首相として企業の誘致のために日本にも複数回足を運んでいる。産業界などにも知り合いが多い親日家として知られる。
フィナンシャルタイムズとThe diplomat が経済改革が期待されている点、ナショナリストとの点で、モディ氏と安倍氏の類似性を指摘していますが、これは、まあ、日本人が日本で黒人をみると、黒人というだけで、 エディ・マーフィやマイケルジャクソンに似ているね、というのに似ていて、要するに、アジアの政治家についてあまりにも無知で、対照とするのが資料がその程度しかない、ということ。
イスラム教徒に厳しくでる、あるいは、弾圧を黙認するのではないか、という懸念も表明されていますが、日本、そして、安倍ちゃんとの良好な関係にも注目されています。
”blocking the rise of a Sino-centric Asia”という点で、共通の利益があるのかもしれませんね。
日印関係の発展に期待したいところです。
