India signed a separate peace treaty with Japan against the US’s wish. India respected the sovereignty of Japan, and both countries maintain an excellent relationship.
It was the San Francisco conference in 1951. Major countries in the world gathered to discuss the future of Japan. One country boycotted the meet. It was India. India’s reason to boycott the meet is the starting point for India’s renewed relationship with Japan, and it’s non-alignment policy.
Japan And India In World War II:
Japan’s imperial ambitions fueled its expansion into Manchuria, China, and Korea. Japan’s war machine majorly ran on oil from the USA. After the US embargo on Japan, Japan invaded the Dutch East Indies for oil resources. The invasion dragged Britain and the USA into the Second World War against Japan. Japan joined the Axis power and invaded the European colonies in Asia. Soon Singapore fell and then the Philippines. Japan entered Burma and annexed Vietnam from Vichy France. As Japan captured Burma, it knocked at the gates of British India.
Subash Chandra Bose, an armed revolutionary from India, formed the Indian National Army (INA) under Japan’s guidance. Japan had thousands of British Indian army prisoners of war and had no idea what to do with them. Bose took them under his INA and trained them. Bose even introduced an INA air force called Tokyo Boys. INA saw action in Burma against British Indian troops. Historians compare the Battle of Imphal to the Battle of Stalingrad. As the German army was on the back foot after the Battle of Stalingrad, The Japanese army was on the back foot after the Battle of Imphal. After Japan’s defeat in Burma, the British Indian government court-martialed INA soldiers.
British Indian citizens’ sentiments were in favor of INA. The INA soldier’s defense lawyer was none other than India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. After hit by two atom bombs, Japan surrendered, and US forces occupied Japan.
San Francisco conference:
In the 1951 San Francisco conference, the USA wanted to make Japan a hub in Asia with China and Korea as its spokes. India proclaimed that this is against Japan’s sovereignty. India voiced its concern about these policies and refused to sign the San Francisco peace treaty with Japan. India, though attacked by Japan in the second world war, didn’t practice hostility with Japan. In 1954 India signed a peace treaty with Japan and effectively ended the second world war in Asia. For Japan, it was the first treaty it signed after the San Francisco conference.
Though India Japan’s relationship saw low tide due to India testing a nuclear bomb, Japan supported India’s bid for a permanent seat in UNSC. Japan is also one of the leading investors of many infrastructure projects in India.
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