‘Old friends’ PM Modi, Shinzo Abe discuss bullet train

Osaka: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held wide ranging talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on the global economy, issues of fugitive economic offenders and disaster management and announced that the Indian President will participate in the coronation ceremony of Emperor Naruhito in October.

Mr Modi said that he was looking forward to the visit of Mr Abe to India later this year for the Annual Summit.

Later, briefing media, foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said it was a “warm” meeting the two prime ministers who are “old friends” and they had a “very constructive and detailed discussion” on bilateral relationship.

The two leaders also had a brief discussion on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor and on a convention centre being built in Varanasi, Prime Minister Modi’s constituency. They agreed on the delivery of both the projects on time.

Modi thanked Abe for his warm welcome to him and the Indian delegation visiting Japan for the G20 Summit. He also appreciated Japan’s leadership as the G20 chairman.

“Abe initially began discussion with his expectation from the G20 Summit. They spoke about the importance of focussing on global economy,” Gokhale said.
Abe referred to Modi’s initiatives on the earlier G20 meetings on the issue of fugitive economic offenders and he said the G20 should deal with this problem as part of its anti-corruption measures.

Modi said he is looking forward to seeing Abe again at the Eastern Economic forum in Vladivostok in early September. Modi will be the chief guest the forum at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Modi appreciated the work Japan is doing in the infrastructure projects in North East India.

Prime Minister Modi also sought Japan’s assistance in building disaster resilient infrastructure.