Focus on preserving heritage, building smart cities; Defence cooperation set to be intensified
Varanasi, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi represents in the lok Sabha, will be developed into a ‘smart city’ by using the experience of Kyoto, the ‘smart city’ of Japan, under a pact signed here on Saturday.
A Partner City MoU was signed by Indian Ambassador Deepa Wadhwa and Kyoto Mayor Daisaka Kadokawa at a ceremony witnessed by Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.
The MoU, which was signed soon after Modi’s arrival here on a five-day visit, provides for cooperation in heritage conservation, city modernisation and cooperation in the fields of art, culture and academics, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told reporters.
This will serve as framework for Smart heritage city programme between the two countries, he added. Kyoto, which is a heritage city with Buddhist culture, provides special symbolism to the visit as the Prime Minister has the vision of “rejuvenating” Indian cities.
Modi, who is making his first bilateral sojourn outside South Asia since he took office in May, observed that the India-Japan relationship was far below potential and expressed the hope that the two sides would strive to achieve in five years the unrealised potential of five decades.
He also said that a strong India-Japan partnership was important not just for the economic benefits to the two countries, but even more as a force of good for the region and the world.
India and Japan are set to intensify Defence cooperation with the two sides likely to launch a security consultative framework involving their Foreign and Defence Ministers. The two countries are also expected to sign an agreement in the field of rare earth materials after Modi and Abe hold a summit meeting in Tokyo on Monday.
Discussions are also expected to focus on civil nuclear cooperation and help by Japan in improving India’s infrastructure, particularly the railways, and cleaning of river Ganga. He also mentioned his plan to visit Centre for iPS Cell Research in Kyoto as part of his desire to seek advanced solutions through stem cell research for health challenges in India.
Modi is scheduled to visit Toji temple, which symbolises the confluence of Indian and Japanese civilisational commonalities regarding Buddhism, on Sunday. From Kyoto, he travels to Tokyo, where he would discuss with Abe the roadmap for the mutual global and strategic partnership in the years ahead.
India is keen on early conclusion of the civil nuclear agreement with Japan, which will facilitate supply of its nuclear technology. With the Modi Government evincing interest in bullet trains, the issue is likely to figure in discussions. Negotiations are also underway for sale of Japan’s US-2 amphibious aircraft to India.
Warmth, mutual admiration and convergence of views marked the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Saturday as Modi, was accorded a warm welcome, with the two prime ministers warmly hugging each other in a reflection of the warmth of their personal bonding.
Abe later hosted a traditional Japanese dinner for Modi in the Imperial Guest House in Kyoto. Their discussion, lasting for over one and a half hours, was “exceptionally warm and friendly”, a PMO statement said, adding that it was marked by a “great deal of mutual respect and admiration and convergence of views”.
Describing Japan as “one of India’s closest and most important partners”, Modi spoke about his own admiration for the country and his high hopes from the relationship. Abe spoke “with great enthusiasm and strong conviction” about India and the importance of bilateral relations for Japan and the region. He expressed confidence that India’s economic transformation would gather strong momentum under Modi.
He also said an economically resurgent India would be of great strategic importance to the region and the world, and an inspiration for democratic forces around the world. The Japanese Prime Minister, in a special gesture, flew down to Kyoto to receive Modi. Soon after Modi’s arrival, the two leaders fed fish in keeping with the tradition in Japan.
The discussions covered economic issues and the opportunities that both countries had to seize - presented by their respective strong political mandates - to inject new momentum and energy in their economies. The two leaders also had an “extensive and candid” exchange of views on regional and global developments and saw “in their remarkable convergence of views a great opportunity to work together for peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and the world.”
During their dinner meeting, the two prime ministers spoke about the ancient cultural and religious links between the countries which were not known widely, noting the start of Modi’s visit from Kyoto highlighted the spiritual foundations of India-Japan relations.
