NEW DELHI: After the India-China-Russia trilateral framework of discussion, a new idea — a four-cornered dialogue between India, Japan, the United States and Australia — is in an advanced stage of consideration.

Diplomatic sources told this correspondent that India and Japan had been discussing the idea for some time; the issue figured during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's recent talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo.

Indirect reference

Interestingly, there was an indirect reference to this dialogue in the December 15, 2006, joint statement issued by India and Japan. "The two leaders share the view on the usefulness of having dialogue among Japan, India and other like-minded countries in the Asia-Pacific region on themes of mutual interest," it said.

According to the sources, not only was India comfortable with the idea, but it also put forward specific proposals. They believe that the initial dialogue in the framework could take place at the level of officials, possibly Foreign Secretaries.

Apparently, the idea behind this dialogue is that it should involve countries that believe in "democracy and human rights." Clearly, as and when such a dialogue begins, it will mark a major shift in Indian foreign policy.

So far, India has not been involved in a multilateral dialogue that involves the U.S. and countries such as Australia and Japan, close allies of Washington in the Asia-Pacific region.

There is little doubt that the very idea of such a dialogue flows from India's dramatically transformed relationship with the United States.

Not so long ago, New Delhi would have rejected out of hand any such idea.

At the same time, the India-Japan relationship is also on the upswing as reflected in the joint statement issued in December 2005. Among other things, the countries agreed on annual summit-level meetings.

"With a view to sustaining and giving high-level guidance to the continued growth and development of bilateral relations, the two leaders confirm their intention to hold annual summit-level meetings in respective capitals as well as on the sidelines of multilateral events," the statement said.

As a consequence, Mr. Abe is expected to visit India in 2007. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the sources revealed, would be travelling to Tokyo this year for the first-ever "strategic dialogue" with his Japanese counterpart.

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