New Delhi, April 23 -- Japan has decided to ease restrictions on its sale of weapons to other countries, although this would be limited to the 17 with which it has defence tie-ups.

As India is part of the four-nation Quad-with Japan, the US and Australia as other members-Tokyo's move opens up a possibility worth close consideration by New Delhi.

We could diversify our set of high-tech arms suppliers to include a non-hegemonic power with which we have had good relations for eight decades. This is heartening in itself.

That Japan is slowly giving up the pacifist stance it adopted after World War II could work out quite well for us too. In a world increasingly cleaved apart by geo-rivalry between the US and China, another power centre cou...