Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will visit India from December 11-13 for the annual Summit talks between the two countries. While pacts on bullet train, Defence technology and higher education are on cards, it is expected that civil nuclear agreement too will feature during the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Abe. He will also visit PM’s constituency Varanasi to witness the Ganga Arati at Dashashwamedh Ghat.
During the Summit talks on Saturday, both the Prime Ministers will review implementation of decisions taken in the previous summit. The two sides had pledged to enhance economic ties particularly in the trade and investment sector. At the last Summit meeting held in Tokyo, Modi and Abe had agreed to elevate the relationship to “Special Strategic and Global Partnership”.
This time a deal for India’s first Bullet Train based on Japanese technology and a financing through soft loan of $15 billion is expected to be signed. The Rs98,000 crore project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad was cleared by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday.
The Cabinet also approved signing and ratification of Protocol between India and Japan for amending the Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC) signed between the two countries in 1989for avoidance of double taxation and for prevention of fiscal evasion, through aprotocol. The Protocol will facilitate exchange of information on tax matters, including bank information in respect of Indians.
In New Delhi, Abe will also have a meeting with Business leaders Forum and address Japan-India Innovation Seminar. After the talks, Modi will accompany Abe to Varanasi. Modi and Abe had a brief meeting on the sidelines of the Climate Change Summit in Paris recently.