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In key steps that are expected to push the burgeoning
bilateral ties into a new trajectory, India and
Japan decided to enhance the quantum of currency
swap arrangement to $15 billion, agreed to launch
a ministerial business-government policy dialogue
and to step up collaboration in developing high-speed
rail networks in India.
The two sides decided Dec 28 to pursue talks
on a new industrial corridor between Chennai and
Bangalore, India's emerging economic hub where
Japanese companies have made large investments.
Closer collaboration in infrastructure development
figured prominently in the discussions, with concrete
commitments from the Japanese side.
Besides $4.5 billion for the DMIC, Japan also
pledged 134.288 billion yen loans for two new
projects, including the Delhi Mass Rapid Transport
System Project Phase III and theWest Bengal Forest
and Biodoversity Conservation Project.
Resolving to expand cooperation in anti-piracy
and maritime security, Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh and his visiting Japanese counterpart Yoshihiko
Noda also held talks on a wide spectrum of regional
and global issues, including UN reforms, climate
change, non-proliferation and the situation in
Afghanistan and North Korea.
The talks between the two leaders also gave a
push to civil nuclear negotiations that stalled
after the March 11 Fukushima disaster.
"The cooperation with India regarding peaceful
uses of nuclear energy is conducive to our efforts
to address climate change and to strengthen the
global partnership with India," Noda said
at a joint press conference with Manmohan Singh
after the talks.
Noda, however, did not spell out when the negotiations
will be resumed and reminded India about its voluntary
commitment on a moratorium on nuclear testing.
"We shall proceed with negotiations while
giving due consideration to security, non-proliferation
and disarmament," Noda, who is on his maiden
visit to India, said.
The Japanese prime minister stressed the importance
of bringing into force the Comprehensive Test
Ban Treaty (CTBT) at an early date, a joint statement
issued after the talks said. Manmohan Singh reiterated
India's commitment to a unilateral and voluntary
moratorium on testing.
"As part of our energy cooperation, we reviewed
the ongoing discussions on furthering civil nuclear
cooperation between our countries. These are moving
in the right direction," Manmohan Singh said.
"The two prime ministers welcomed the progress
made to date in negotiations between India and
Japan on an agreement for cooperation in the peaceful
uses of nuclear energy, and directed their negotiators
to exert further efforts towards a conclusion
of the agreement, having due regard to each side's
relevant interests, including nuclear safety,"
the joint statement said.
The Japanese leader also promised to share lessons
in nuclear safety in the aftermath of the Fukushima
disaster.
"We believe it is the duty of Japan to share
the experiences and lessons learnt from the nuclear
power plant accident and to improve nuclear security
around the world," he said.
India and Japan have already held three round
of civil nuclear negotiations, but the talks stalled
after the Fukushima incident, fuelling security
concerns in that country.
Earlier, while delivering a lecture on India-Japan
relations, Noda had welcomed progress in nuclear
negotiations and hoped that "mutually acceptable
results will be achieved".
"Japan was the only country exposed to nuclear
attack. Disarmament and non-proliferation is the
tenet of the country. This is a matter of national
sentiment," Noda said.
He was referring to strong anti-nuclear sentiments
in Japan, a pacifist country known for its stringent
non-proliferation norms, which intensified after
the Fukushima disaster.
The nuclear deal with Japan will enable India
to implement its atomic deal with the US as top
American atomic equipment companies are partially
owned by Japanese companies.
(IANS)
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