EMERGING MARITIME SECURITY IN INDO-PACIFIC REGION: A CASE STUDY OF INDIA, JAPAN AND VIETNAM TRILATERAL RELATIONSHIP

The trilateral relationship or strategic partnership among India, Japan and Vietnam is mostly important relationship in indo-pacific region. This relationship efficiently and effectively fulfills their mutual goals and share common interests (co existence, co prosperity and co value) against present increasing Chinese power. These three countries create a geographical arc in world map and geopolitically significant subset of the Indo-pacific. The maritime linkage of Japan, India and Vietnam come together from East Asia, South Asia and South East Asia respectively. These countries enjoy bilateral relationship between India- Vietnam and Vietnam ?Japan over the last decade. Then India and Japan strategically engage with Vietnam among the south east countries for their strategic location, strong will and sharing common interest. Three countries also shares similar democratic political economics and military power from parallel colonial histories. But geo-strategically these states engaged for the maritime security due to expanding present economic and military power of china. In indo-pacific region maritime security refers that the use of marine resource (fisheries and ocean bottom resources), maritime transportation etc. In this perspective, shenkaku island is the major dispute between Japan and china and Spartly dispute between china and Vietnam is the major concern because these islands is mostly famous because of key shipping lanes, rich fishing grounds, oil reservoirs as well as other marine resources. This islands located in east and South China Sea respectively. For this reason Japan and Vietnam trying to build security cooperation with India and resolve dispute issue in indo-pacific region. Except maritime security this engagement of Japan and Vietnam with India can cultural and educational exchanges, defense cooperation, increase trading and port services. Effectively India arrived in most advance situation. In 2003-2009 increase the trade of India from 26.70% to 30.19% through the indo pacific region for their secure transportation facility after trilateral coalition.