Modi-Abe meet: Ahead of participating in a roadshow in Ahmedabad along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has said Japan-India relationship is “blessed with the largest potential in the world.” Interestingly, Abe is the second leader of a state visiting the Gujarati city of Ahmedabad on Modi’s request after Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015.
In a message to the people of India today, the Japanese premier heaped praise on Modi and highlighted what makes India-Japan relationship special. “I am looking forward to advancing the ‘new era’ in Japan-India relations…and I am determined that Japan and India will lead the way towards peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region and the world, hand in hand with Prime Minister Modi.”
Recalling his visit to Japanese Shinkansen rolling stock factory along with Modi in November last year, Abe said, “Economic cooperation is the cornerstone of relationship between Japan and India…It gives me great joy to know that those Shinkansen trains will operate on Indian soil under Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project.”
“Economy of India is currently achieving rapid growth. Japan possesses outstanding technology for creating railways that are safe, punctual, and high-speed. Japan will continue to draw on this technology to support India’s rapid economic growth.”
According to Abe, the number of Japanese companies with establishments in India are growing at a pace of around 100 companies per year. Until October 2016, there were 1305 Japanese companies in India. “Japan’s technology and India’s rich human resources are joining forces to unlock the potential of ‘monozukuri’ (manufacturing), and this potential is spreading to Asean, Africa, and the rest of the world.”
Abe said the relationship between India and Japan is supported by “unwavering mutual trust.”
Talking about India’s culture, the Japanese PM said, “India has long been a familiar name to the Japanese people. Indian culture including yoga, cinema and cuisine is already extremely popular throughout Japan. From Buddhism to the concept of zero, the people of Japan have profound respect for India’s important contributions, its civilization and wisdom. Both countries enjoy warm public sentiments towards each other.
Abe also hoped to bring the “bilateral relationship with the largest potential” into “full bloom” and push towards “new era in Japan-India relations” along with Modi.