How the ‘stars aligned' for closer trilateral relations(from wikileaks)

[Vehl]

How the ‘stars aligned' for closer trilateral relations

Sarah Hiddleston

The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi urged Washington to take advantage of improved Indo-Japanese ties to fulfil its own agenda in Asia

An uncharacteristically effusive diplomatic cable sent from the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi urged policymakers in Washington to use “blossoming” Indo-Japanese ties in 2006 to fulfil American goals for the Asian region, including in terms of offering emerging nations “an alternative model to China.”

Military cooperation
“The fact is,” the cable continued, “while China is actively seeking to spread its influence through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, its ‘string of pearls' in the Indian Ocean or other diplomatic initiatives (none of which suggest China defers to American anxieties as it proceeds), a more visible U.S.-Japan-India friendship would signal that free and democratic nations, too, pursue their interests, along with partners who share our values. We will be offering other hopeful emerging nations on the continent a distinctly alternative model to China's.”

India's value
“India brings to the table not only the world's largest democracy and a potential market of a billion people, it is also the secular home to the world's second largest Muslim population, a regional naval power whose interests in maritime security closely match the United States', a growing economic giant, a nuclear power, an educational dynamo, a strategically located land and sea link for all Asia, an oasis of stability in a dysfunctional neighborhood, and a nation that is on its own actively seeking closer ties with Japan and Australia,” the cable said.

‘So what?'

In short, the cable said, “What the U.S. stands to gain by adding India to the U.S.-Japan-Australia mix is essentially squaring the circle in the Asia-Pacific region, bringing a geometric and geopolitical connection for democracy that spans nearly half the globe.”

This article is a part of the series "The India Cables" based on the US diplomatic cables accessed by The Hindu via Wikileaks.)

Read the full article here
http://www.thehindu.com/news/the-india-cables/article1718474.ece

This leaked cable underscores the close, and increasing cooperation between Japan, India and America in the past decade.

a recent thread related to one aspect of this emerging coalition

Pact on India-Japan-U.S. trilateral in the offing
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x855544

[Vehl]

1. argh 4 paragraphs

should have been 3. my bad.Edit period has timed out. Mods pls edit it out(if you so wish) so that the posting guidelines are met.
Thanks.