India will get its first bullet train, better rail safety, clean nuclear energy, more job opportunities, educational collaborations and information on black money hoarders as New Delhi and Tokyo cemented their ties further by signing 16 agreements spanning several sectors following the summit-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Saturday.
Besides strengthening Defence cooperation, economic ties and people-to-people exchanges, India will for the first time export Maruti Suzuki cars to Japan under the Make in India initiative. ‘Recognising the special relationship’, Modi announced visa-on-arrival for Japanese citizens from March 1, 2016. Japan thus becomes the first country to get this facility from India. Modi explained this will be different from the electronic visa facility extended globally.
Among the agreements, the nuclear deal was the biggest takeaway after India managed to allay Japan’s concerns with regards to liability, fuel tracking, and possibility of nuclear tests by India. The agreement paves way for Japan to participate in India’s civil nuclear sector by making components for India’s nuclear reactors. It also opens road for Japan to supply nuclear reactors to India at a later stage.
The special chemistry between Abe and Modi added strength to the Indo-Japan relationship, as the Indian PM described his Japanese counterpart a “personal friend and a great champion of India-Japan partnership”. “No friend will matter more in realising India’s economic dreams than Japan… In a world of intense international engagements, few visits are truly historic or change the course of a relationship. Your visit, Mr Prime Minister, is one,” Modi said.
Responding to Modi, Abe said, “We have taken relationship to new level and buds have turned into blossoms”. The Japanese PM had earlier at the meeting with business heads had appreciated Modi saying his “speed of implementing policies is like a bullet train.”
Elaborating on the civil nuclear pact after the negotiations, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said, “The Japanese side was assured about the efficacy of the liability solution found earlier by India with regard to the United States. On tracking too we have a template that satisfies major nuclear suppliers. Reprocessing is integral part of our civil nuclear set up. We reuse the spent fuel in consonant with our long standing policy.”
“On the nuclear tests, we have taken steps. India reminded Japan of the voluntary moratorium it has put in place and most countries accept India’s word as credible,” he added.
With the key part of the agreement done, the technical and legal aspects of the deal will be now examined by experts and an administrative arrangement will be worked out at a later stage. The deal, similar to the 123 Agreement with the US, however, needs to be cleared by the Japanese Parliament, Diet.
“It is a shining symbol of a new level of mutual confidence and strategic partnership in the cause of a peaceful and secure world,” Modi said after the civil nuclear agreement which comes as a major boost to his pitch for clean and renewable energy to address climate change concerns.
Moving towards making India’s dream for a bullet train come true, an agreement to build high speed rail network between Mumbai-Ahmedabad was signed. The bullet train between the two cities will cut travel time on the 505-kilometre route from eight hours to three. Japan will fund 80 per cent of the project with a soft loan of $15 billion (Rs 98,000 crore) to be paid over 50 years with a 0.1 per cent rate of interest. There will be a 15-year moratorium and under the agreement for Shinkansen high speed train there will be transfer of technology and Make in India component in a phased manner.
“As of now we have agreed in-principle. A senior-level committee will now work out the details, including sourcing of material,” Jaishankar said. According to the feasibility reports, the high speed Ahmedabad-Mumbai corridor will take roughly seven years to complete.
“No less historic is the decision to introduce High Speed Rail on Mumbai-Ahmedabad sector through Shinkansen known for speed, reliability, safety,” Modi said while appreciating Abe’s Rs extraordinary package’ on very easy terms. “This enterprise will launch a revolution in Indian railways and speed up India’s journey into the future. It will become an engine of economic transformation in India,” Modi added.
In Defence sector, two agreements concerning the Transfer of Defence Equipment and Technology and another related to Security Measures for Protection of Classified Military Information. Besides, it was agreed to expand staff talks to all three wings of the Armed Forces. The Shinmaywa US-2 amphibious aircraft was also discussed but no announcement was made regard as the officials are still to wrap up the negotiations.
International and regional issues including UN Security Council reforms and terrorism also figured prominently in the talks as the two leaders called for closer cooperation in safeguarding the global commons in maritime, space and cyber domains.
The discussion covered bringing to justice the perpetrators of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, checking cross border movement of terrorists and eliminating their safe havens. South China Sea with regard to freedom of navigation and overflight too was discussed and the two leaders called upon all States to avoid unilateral actions that could lead to tensions in the region.