From sharing vital intelligence on China’s military deployment and movements with India and possibilities of engaging Japanese experts in its submarine programme, Taiwan’s initiative is steadily yielding results despite sensitivities surrounding India’s relations with Taiwan.

Besides attempting to build strong defence relations with India and Japan, Taiwan has also been working hard to lure Australia and Singapore. As per secondary research by EurAsian Times, all efforts are being kept as a low-key affairs to avoid antagonizing China, but Taiwan is determined to build strong links with big economies and regional superpowers and deepen cultural and people to people contacts.

While China is aggressively working to diplomatically isolate Taiwan by snatching its allies, Taipei battles to keep its remaining formal allies deeply engaged and on their side.

While Taiwan’s defence relations with Japan have been evolving over some, however, Taipei’s relations with New Delhi are rapidly growing, according to sources. Unofficial military attaches have been placed within Taiwan’s new de-facto embassy, the Taipei Economic Cultural Centre, while senior Indian defence officers regularly visit Taipei on ordinary rather than official passports.

Taiwan’s deep knowledge of Chinese military deployments, including troop movements in the west of the country is of great interest to India. In wake of escalating tensions between India and China, Taiwan could provide strategic inputs to the Indian defence officials and allow Delhi to set up a defence base in the region.