India and Japan Close Bullet Train Deal

On the India-Japan civil nuclear deal, Hong said, “with regard to nuclear cooperation between India and Japan we always believed that on the premise of respecting nuclear non-proliferation”.

“This enterprise will launch a revolution in Indian railways and speed up India’s journey into the future”, Modi said of the deal.

For his part, the visiting Japanese PM said: “A strong India is good for Japan and a strong Japan is good for India”.

Similarly, while they agreed to work towards co-operation in civil-nuclear technology, they stopped short of signing an agreement, citing outstanding technical and legal differences.

Modi, Shinzo Abe pledge to fast-track ties with pacts ranging from nuclear energy to defence A Rs 98,000-crore ($ 12 billion) project to lay India’s first bullet train network between Mumbai and Ahmedabad was on Saturday finalised at the annual summit talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.

He also noted that Abe’s extraordinary package of approximately Dollars 12 billion and technical assistance on very easy terms for this project was greatly appreciated.

Running at speeds ranging from of 300km/h to 350km/h, the trains will cut down the travel time between the two cities from the current 7h to 2h.

The two countries are also likely to sign an agreement allowing the transfer of defense technology and co-production of arms and military equipment. “And Maruti will manufacture cars here”, Modi said.

“This builds on our decision to expand staff talks to all three wings of the Armed Forces and make Japan a partner in Malabar Naval Exercises”, he added.

“Prime Minister Modi’s economic policies are like Shinkansen – high speed, safe and reliable while carrying many people along”, he said.

On his part, Abe said, “We have taken relationship to new level and buds have turned into blossom”. Japan had committed $35 billion investment in India during Modi’s visit to Tokyo in 2014 and this has already started coming in. At least 13 such townships are under consideration.

“While it’s unlikely a civil nuclear deal will be signed during this visit, the two sides will air their concerns. It will become an engine of economic transformation in India”, Modi said in a speech. They were of the view that effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and early conclusion of the negotiations to establish a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea by consensus will contribute to peace and stability of the region.

They made a decision to hold regular close consultations on the issues related to maritime safety and security of sea lanes of communication.

Thanking Abe for his support for India’s membership of the APEC, Modi said India will also strive for “our rightful place in a reformed UN Security Council”.

China was pushing hard for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad project after signing an agreement with Modi in May to cooperate on railways.

On terrorism, both leaders called upon all countries to implement the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions designating terrorist entities.

We are only left to wonder how we could explain to North Korea and Iran, which are insisting on their own nuclear development programs, why we are dealing differently with India. Prof Anuradha Chenoy, Dean, School of International Studies, JNU, told The Hindu that the sidelining of the “nullification clause” is meant to save the nuclear deal but a lot will depend in the coming months on the political acumen of Mr. Abe and his cross-party networking in the Japanese parliament.

“In just about every area outside of defense, Indo-Japanese cooperation has been unprecedented”, said Sasha Riser-Kositsky, a Washington-based associate for Eurasia Group.

It is in this context that we must see the India-Japan partnership.