During Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to India, both countries signed a range of agreements to widen defence and security ties, from formalising Japan’s presence in the India-US Exercise Malabar “on a regular basis” to signing a landmark deal on civilian nuclear energy.
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Though India and Japan are likely to take some more months to actually sign the nuclear agreement, the breakthrough reached during Modi-Abe meeting in New Delhi is significant, as it signalled substantial progress in the protracted negotiation for a deal, which would clear roads for bilateral cooperation in peaceful use of atomic energy. The high-speed train project befits the dawn of a new era in the Japan-India economic relationship, he added.
The new bullet train will slash journey times between the Indian cities of Mumbai and Ahmedabad, reportedly from eight hours to about two hours. India needs high speed growth in partnership with Japan, and not just high speed train, said PM Modi. Analysts say despite a 15 percent annual rate of increase in two-way trade, India accounts for only 1.2 percent of Japan’s total trade, and Japan for 2 percent of India’s. “Your visit, Mr Prime Minister, is one”, Modi said.
The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed the intention to develop Japan Industrial Townships (JITs) in India with incentive for companies which invest in the project. China has been opposed to India, Japan and the U.S., which are outside the South China Sea region, voicing their opinion about the island dispute.
Similarly, while they agreed to work towards cooperation in civil-nuclear technology, they stopped short of signing an agreement, citing outstanding technical and legal differences. Shinkansen Technology will be adopted for the MumbaiAhmedabad High SpeedIt will become an engine of economic transformation in India.
Japan has also agreed to provide a package of $12 billion on easy terms for manufacturing in India and has also expressed commitment to providing technical support, Mr Sharma added in the statement.
In Defence sector, two agreements concerning the Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology and another related to Security Measures for Protection of Classified Military Information.
For Japan, still smarting from losing out to China over a similar agreement in Indonesia, firming up the Indian deal was crucial.
Japan is the only country to have suffered a nuclear attack.
According to media reports, around 150 protestors held demonstrations with banners reading: “We can not create peace with nuclear” and “We oppose the Japan-India nuclear deal”.
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Explaining why India deeply values the strategic partnership with Japan, Modi said, “No friend will matter more in realizing India’s economic dreams than Japan and I cannot think of a strategic partnership that can exercise a more profound influence on shaping the course of Asia and our interlinked ocean regions more than ours”. Modi also announced that India in March will begin extending “visa on arrival” privileges to Japanese citizens in recognition of the two countries’ special relationship.
