Following talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, Modi said the pair had agreed plans for Japan to build India s first bullet train to slash journey times between the cities of Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Advertisement
India and Japan have signed agreements on military purchases for India’s armed forces, high-speed trains and upgrading India’s infrastructure.
Apollo Tyres chairman Onkar S Kanwar said Japanese companies have committed investment in infrastructure sectors including power.
“Indo-Japanese relations will contribute to peace and prosperity in Asia and the world”, Abe, while addressing the Japan-India Innovation Seminar ahead of his annual meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Saturday.
The two leaders are expected to discuss defence ties and a civil nuclear agreement, in addition to finalising the agreement on the train line. The most important relationship for both Japan and India is obviously with America-not least for countering China.
The two leaders also signed a pact that will allow the transfer of defense equipment and technology to India from Japan in a move that reflects Tokyo’s desire to forge closer ties with New Delhi due to China’s muscle-flexing. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday welcomed the resumption of Indo-Pak talks and visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Islamabad.
On nuclear deal, he said, “We have reached an agreement on nuclear deal for peaceful use of nuclear energy”.
Mentioning about the different initiatives of India including “Make in India”, “Digital India” and “Skill India”, he said what is common to all these programmes is the philosophy of thought of advancement of Indian economy and to take care of people.
PM Modi had visited Japan from August 30 to September 3 last year during which Japan had announced doubling of its private and public investment in India to about Dollars 34 billion over a period of five years.
The proposed bullet train line between Mumbai and Ahmedabad would cost Rs.98,000 crore, according to a joint project feasibility study, co-financed by the Indian Railways and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
“The relationship between India and Japan is perhaps the best it has ever been, largely because they have prime ministers who look at the region and the world in very similar terms”, Harsh Pant, professor of global relations at King’s College London, told Bloomberg.
Thanking Abe for his support for India’s membership of the APEC, Modi said India will also strive for “our rightful place in a reformed UN Security Council”.
A strong Japan is good for India and a strong India is good for Japan.
Advertisement
After the talks, Mr Abe will visit Varanasi and attend “Ganga Aarti” at famous Dasaswamedh Ghat.
