On Japan visit, PM Modi in Op-Ed notes age-old link as bedrock of bilateral ties

Underlining that IndiaJapan cultural ties go back several centuries Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said deep links helped in laying a strong foundation for a modern partnership between the two countries at a time when New Delhi and Tokyo celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic tiesWriting an OpEd for a Japanese publication on the vibrant bilateral relations the Prime Minister traced the journey of the IndiaJapan special friendship Special Strategic Global PM used three words to describe the IndiaJapan partnership that has a unique significance while adding that they too fall well short of the true potential of bilateral tiesPenned an oped on the vibrant relations between India and Japan Ours is a partnership for peace stability and prosperity I trace the journey of our special friendship which completes 70 glorious years Yomiuri_Online httpstconXx8y3qiQLmdash Narendra Modi narendramodi May 23 2022As we mark 70 years of diplomatic relations we are also building one of the defining partnerships of our region I am confident that my meeting with PM Kishida will lead to tangible progress in realising this ambitious agenda he said While noting the historical ties that go back centuries PM Modi said a firm shared belief in the values of democracy freedom and a rulesbased international order as well as convergence in the regional and global outlook are the bedrock of ties between India and Japan as trusted and natural partnersThese deep links laid a strong foundation for a modern IndiaJapan partnership that continues to blossom even as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of formal diplomatic ties PM Modi wrote In the opinion piece the Prime Minister talked about his own conviction regarding this partnership which began in my early days as Chief Minister of GujaratHe said that it was not just the sophistication of Japanese technology and skills but also the seriousness and longterm commitment of Japans leadership and businesses that made Japan Gujarats preferred industrial partner and the most prominent presence in Vibrant Gujarat Summits since its inceptionPM Modi stressed that Japan has also proved to be an invaluable partner in Indias journey on the path of development and modernization From the automobile sector to industrial corridors Japanese investments and development assistance have a truly panIndia footprint The iconic MumbaiAhmedabad HighSpeed Rail project symbolises Japans extensive collaboration in some of the most important endeavours to build a New India noted PM ModiWe have traversed a long distance since we established diplomatic relations in 1952 In my view though the best is yet to come Today as both India and Japan look to reinvigorate and refashion our economies in a postCovid era there is immense scope to deepen our engagement across the entire spectrum from trade and investment to defence and security In the last few years PM Modi said India has embarked on a journey to build a strong foundation for the manufacturing sector services agriculture and digital technology infrastructure The Prime Minister said he views Japan as an indispensable partner in Indias continuing transformationFor Japan Indias speed and scale combine with the ease of doing business attractive incentives bold reforms and ambitious plans to create unmatched opportunities We have also fostered a dynamic startup ecosystem in India with over 100 unicorns The Japanese capital is already playing an important role in this effort And there is potential for a great deal more he saidAppreciating the peopletopeople links between IndiaJapan PM Modi said many Indians are now working in Japan and contributing to the Japanese economy and society just as Japanese executives are contributing to economic development in India I am convinced that such complementarities can be enhanced manifoldHe further noted that IndiaJapan partnership has a greater imperative and serves a larger purpose The Covid pandemic global tensions and disruptive challenges to stability and security in our own IndoPacific region have underlined the need for building resilient supply chains a humancentric development model and stable and strong international economic relations capable of resisting coercion and exploitation Our partnership will help advance these goals he said In doing so we will also contribute towards building an open free and inclusive Indo Pacific region connected by secure seas integrated by trade and investment defined by respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity and anchored in international law he addedFurther emphasizing the importance of the strategically located IndoPacific region the Prime Minister said both the countries can be important pillars of the region That is why our partnership is expanding across a broad range of areas Our defence ties are growing rapidly from exercises and information exchanges to defence manufacturing We are doing more in cyber space and underwater domains Besides security PM Modi said together with likeminded partners in the region and beyond in institutions and arrangements like Quad all member countries are promoting initiatives for development infrastructure connectivity sustainability health vaccines capacity building and humanitarian disaster response in the regionA peaceful and prosperous Indo Pacific region will be critical for a better future for the entire world Lastly PM Modi further pointed out that crises tend to magnify challenges and accelerate our transition to the future For this reason at this pivotal moment for the world our partnership now faces larger responsibility and greater urgency Based on all that we share dearly and all that we have built over decades India and Japan are ready to respond to this calling he spelt outThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever