PM Narendra Modi woos Tokyo: India, Japan to elevate strategic ties, speed up nuke deal
Tokyo: India and Japan on Monday agreed to enhance their defence and strategic cooperation to a new level during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Shinzo Abe, who also decided to speed up negotiations on civil nuclear deal that could not be concluded now.
Striking good personal chemistry, the two leaders had "very fruitful" and "meaningful" exchanges after which Abe announced doubling of Japan's private and public investment in India to about USD 35 billion over the next five years.
A successful India & successful Japan will benefit both nations & will be a force of peace, stability & prosperity in Asia & in the world.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 1, 2014Read: India, Japan to 'upgrade' defence cooperation
The talks at Akasaka Palace (State Guest House) came on the third day of Modi's first major bilateral visit outside South Asia. Abe had gone the extra mile in receiving his old friend in Kyoto on Saturday and spent the weekend with him on a tour of two ancient Buddhist temples apart from hosting a banquet.
Significantly, at an interaction with business leaders, Modi deplored the "expansionist" tendencies among countries, which "engage in encroachment" and "intrude" into the seas of others, comments seen as a veiled reference to China.
At the summit talks, the two countries decided to elevate their ties to a Special Strategic Global Partnership, emphasising that a developed India and a prosperous Japan was important for Asia and for global peace and security.
"This is not just raising the relationship from one category to another... Our relationship is not only regional in its framework, but will have a global impact," Modi, who is on a five-day visit to Japan, said.
Words can't describe PM @AbeShinzo's great hospitality. It indicates his special affection for India & his strong faith in India-Japan ties.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 1, 2014
While agreeing on greater defence equipment and technology cooperation, the two sides decided to expedite discussions on modalities for the sale of Japanese US-2 amphibian aircraft.
"The two Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of defence relations between India and Japan in their strategic partnership and decided to upgrade and strengthen them," a joint statement issued after the talks said.
