India disagrees with the Japanese PM’s idea of ‘Asian NATO’, according to Jaishankar.

• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar disagrees with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s view of the Quad and other alliances involving Japan as an ‘Asian NATO’ structure to deter China from using military force.
• Jaishankar argues that India has never been a treaty ally of any country and does not have such a strategic architecture in mind.
• He explains that a non-aligned policy would not have been compatible with the Quad or Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, a grouping of India, the U.S., Australia, and Japan.
• Jaishankar suggests that India is now more willing to make choices and is less reticent about issue-based joining with other countries.
• He also notes that the earlier era was more defensive and less capability driven, with India now able to contribute to international efforts to secure sea lanes.