The premier told the press: “Bullet trains will revolutionise the Indian Railways and will become the engine of economic transformation in India”.
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For his part, the visiting Japanese PM said: “A strong India is good for Japan and a strong Japan is good for India”.
India and Japan also signed a path-breaking defence agreement.
While they agreed to work towards cooperation in civil-nuclear technology, the two leaders stopped short of signing an agreement. Abe described the agreements as a new era of cooperation between the nations. At the time of announcement, India claimed that the deal was not just about commerce and clean energy but also a sign of mutual confidence and partnership for a secure world.
India and Japan had signed a pact to develop Varanasi as a “Smart City” when Prime Minister Modi had visited Japan final yr. The plan is to develop Varanasi on the strains of Japanese metropolis of Kyoto.
“No less historic is the decision to introduce High Speed Rail on Mumbai-Ahmedabad sector through Shinkansen known for speed, reliability, safety”, Modi said while appreciating Abe’s Rs extraordinary package’ on very easy terms.
Japan also promised technical and financial support to help India build a high-speed train system using Japan’s Shinkansen bullet trains. Bullet train between the two cities will cut travel time on the 505 kilometre route from eight hours to around three.
He attended an Indo-Japan Business Forum, held talks with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj and President Pranab Mukherjee. Japan’s possible sale of US-2 amphibious aircraft to India would be Tokyo’s first major military hardware transfer since lifting a postwar ban on the export of defence equipment in 2014. “Railways’ research wing – Research Designs and Standards Organisation – will also be assisted by Japanese experts in building technical capabilities for the future, while Japan will also help in special projects (bullet train)”, Prabhu said.
If sealed, the nuclear pact with India will be Japan’s first with a country which has not joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
With the coming of the NDA Government in power, there has been an obvious upswing in the relationship between Asia’s second and third largest economies, which is interesting given the fact that the two countries have been quite uneasy about China’s rise as Asia’s dominant power. India is a land of possibilities with excellent human resources and I can say proudly that Japan has been there at every turning point. The Japanese Prime Minister, who followed what the Indian Prime Minister was doing, raised his hands when Modi did so. Prime Minister Modi also announced visa on arrival to all Japanese citizens starting from March next year.
“This would not have been accomplished by any other leader”, he said.
Mr Modi and Mr Abe also called for an immediate commencement and early conclusion of negotiations on a non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) on the basis of Shannon Mandate.
Abe also affirmed the policy of having regular dialogue among Japan, India and the United States as well as Japan, Australia and India.
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Modi’s government has set up an office to promote inward investment from Japan and the two leaders last year vowed to double direct investment within five years.
