Outlining his vision for a ?broader Asia? to be marked by a Indo-Japan strategic global partnership, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday asserted ?a strong India is in the best interest of Japan and a strong Japan is in the best interest of India.?
In his address to MPs in the Central Hall of Parliament, the visiting Japan premier called for signing of the economic partnership agreement soon to firm up relations and raise volume of bilateral trade three-fold. Trade between the two countries in 2006 was about $6.5 billion and according to Abe, it has the potential to reach $20 billion in the next three years.
?I likewise urge the Indian side to give their support to enable the early conclusion of this high quality agreement,? he said.
?Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and myself are steadfastly convinced that Japan-India relationship is blessed with the largest potential for development of any bilateral relationship anywhere in the world,? he added.
Abe, 53, is the third Japanese leader to address Indian Parliament after Prime Ministers Yasuhiro Nakasone in 1984 and Toshiki Kaifu in 1990. He spoke in the Japanese language.
Referring to growing economic ties between the two countries, the Japanese Prime Minister mentioned that a 200-plus business delegation was accompanying him.
Outlining various fields in which the two countries can cooperate closely, he promised to help India in the field of energy by providing technology. But, he did not mention nuclear power.
Abe promised to assist India in infrastructure development, particularly the $90-billion Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor and the 2,800-km Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Kolkata dedicated freight corridors. Feasibility reports on the 2,800-km corridor would be drawn up in two months. ?This is a project of tremendous significance and Japan is actively considering means for financial assistance.?
He also made references to his country?s overseas development assistance (ODA) in afforestation programmes and sought India?s cooperation in his ?Cool Earth 50? initiative aimed at halving global emissions by 2050 from the current levels.
Though Abe avoided making any mention about India?s plea to Japan to support its case at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), a senior Japanese government official on the sidelines of a function said, ?We have taken note of India?s good track record on nuclear non-proliferation but was non-committal on backing the civil nuclear deal with the US at the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).?
The official added that Tokyo would like to have ?some additional explanation? on technical issues related to the Indo-US civil nuclear deal from India and would watch keenly the negotiations New Delhi has with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the safeguards agreement.