PM Narendra Modi has set-off for Japan, to attend 13th India-Japan Annual Summit(PM Modi’s fifth) and meet his Japanese counterpart PM Shinzo Abe, to take bilateral relations to next level.
On 28th and 29th October, I would be attending the India-Japan Annual Summit. I look forward to productive talks with PM @AbeShinzo, which will enhance India-Japan ties. Japan is a valued partner, with whom we have a Special Strategic & Global Partnership. https://t.co/J8zFvFNi10
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 26, 2018
PM Modi will reach Japan late Saturday. On Sunday afternoon he is scheduled to have an informal meeting with PM Abe in hotel with Mount Fuji’s view, which is Japan’s tallest mountain at height of around 3 thousand meters, then visit an robotics and automation firm FANUC company and then both will take a train to PM Abe’s holiday home for dinner at Yamanashi, which is a rare gesture because no other visiting nation-head has been invited by PM Abe before.
One of the biggest points of suspicion on rising relations was Japan’s rising bonhomie with China. PM Abe will be concluding his China visit, just before PM Modi’s arrival in Japan. No Japan PM has visited Beijing in the last 7 years. But, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, downplayed any speculation and said the visit of PM Abe to China, will, by no means harm India’s bilateral relations with Japan. Instead, he made it clear it is PM Modi’s own wish that Japan and China get along together well.
PM Narendra Modi to visit Japan on Oct 28 & 29 October, discussions will be held on issues of defence and regional security. Japanese PM Abe’s visit to China will not have any impact on our (India-Japan) bilateral relationship: Vijay Gokhale, MEA pic.twitter.com/lcX55zcsfr
— ANI (@ANI) October 25, 2018
On Monday morning, PM Modi will address the Indian diaspora in Tokyo, which will also be attended by Japan’s foreign minister, followed by many business summits with Japanese investors.
On Monday evening, both leaders will meet to discuss mutual and global projects.
Reports priorly claimed that India and Japan will finally sign Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement or ACSA, which will allow free conduit of logistic transfer between Indian and Japanese Navy and leeway for both countries’ warships to use each other ports for refueling, but now it seems it won’t be announced in this visit, Foreign Secretary Gokhale, asserted. Though, as India has given access of Indian naval ports at Andaman and Nicobar to Japan, which is one of the major ways through which Japan gets its fuel imports, signing of ACSA does not seem very far.
Both countries can initiate talks on Maritime Domain Agreement, to facilitate the flow of intelligence between both countries Navy in the Indo-Pacific region, to counter China’s rising hegemony in the region.
Foreign Secretary Gokhale, told about the infrastructure structure project, which will be discussed by both the Prime Ministers. First, is Rs 50,000 crore Dedicated Freight Delhi-Mumbai Industrial corridor. The second will be, much-talked-about and symbol of India and Japan’s relation, Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-speed Rail Line or Bullet Train projects, which is aimed to be completed by 2022.
Other than bilateral, many trilateral or India- Japan- Plus one projects are also to be discussed thoroughly. They include a Liquified Natural Gas Terminal in Sri Lanka and investment projects in Africa.
India has never allowed any foreign country to undertake an infrastructure project in the North-east region of India. Japan is the only country, which is undertaking various projects in North-East since 1981. PM Modi and PM Abe are also likely to sign projects of roads and infrastructure in North-east. It is a symbol of cooperation, both countries share and no conflict relation.
India’s economic modernisation and flagship development programmes like Make in India and Skill India, will also be at fore-front from India’s side to leverage Japan’s investment.
All official summits and meeting will end by Monday evening after which PM Modi, will be given a state banquet by PM Abe, after which PM Modi will return to India.
