Japan has been valuable partner in India's developmental journey: Foreign Secretary Shringla

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan, Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla on Thursday said that Japan has been a valuable partner in India's developmental journey.

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Japan, Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla on Thursday said that Japan has been a valuable partner in India's developmental journey. Addressing a conference 'India-Japan: 70 years of Cooperation and the Way Forward' organized by the Ananta Centre and Embassy of Japan, India, Shringla said, "Over the course of the last 70 years, Japan has emerged as one of India's most trusted partners. The iconic Delhi Metro has transformed the way we imagine urban mobility. Flagship projects such as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR), Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) and the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) are under various stages of implementation."

He said that both countries are planning to organize a number of events throughout this year to celebrate this historic milestone in our relationship. "The last few years have also witnessed an increasing convergence of strategic outlook, a consequence of the shift in global geopolitics towards the Indo-Pacific region. This convergence is, for instance, reflected in our respective approaches towards the Indo-Pacific region. Both countries are working towards a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific," Shringla said.

The Foreign Secretary said that this also has a growing salience on India's Act East Policy. "Connectivity and other developmental projects being implemented under the India-Japan Act East Forum, which the Ambassador of Japan to India and I co-chair, are contributing to the development of the North Eastern Region of India. This assumes greater significance given that the North East is India's gateway to South-East Asia. In addition, we are increasingly comfortable in engaging with other like-minded partners in various regional and multilateral forums," said Shringla.

Talking about the COVID-19 pandemic that has generated severe economic stresses and fundamentally altered geopolitical and geo-economic equations, he said, "It has also opened up prospects for India and Japan to enhance their cooperation. We need to capitalize on these opportunities. This is the mantra that should guide us as we go forward." He said that both countries should aim to develop stronger partnerships in various areas such as: Enhancing defence and strategic ties, especially on defence equipment and technology; Re-working supply chains to make them more resilient, trustworthy and secure; Ensuring energy security through a Green Energy Partnership; Creating new innovative partnerships in Manufacturing and MSME sectors.

He also focussed on working together on frontier technologies of 5G, data analytics, blockchain, Internet of things (IOT), telecom security, submarine optical fibre cable system, quantum computing and startups, as well as, enhancing people to people linkages and human capital development through mechanisms such as the Specified Skill Workers (SSW). On 28 April 1952, India and Japan signed the 'Treaty of Peace' which established diplomatic relations between the two countries. Moreover, Japan's support to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in his historic efforts in the Indian freedom struggle is still greatly appreciated in India.

Further, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Japan in 2014 led to the elevation of ties to a 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership'. In fact, PM Modi, during the inauguration last year of the Rudraksha convention centre in Varanasi, constructed in partnership with Japan, referred to the India-Japan relationship as being one of the most natural in the region. (ANI)

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