Japanese premier Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the India-Japan Business Leaders Forum in New Delhi on Saturday.
Shinzo Abe arrived here on Friday on a three-day visit for annual summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During this visit the two sides are expected to seal a Rs 98,000 crore deal for India’s first bullet train track and deliberate on a civil nuclear pact.
Highlights of Japanese PM Shinzo Abe’s speech:
* PM Narendra Modi’s economic policies are like Shinkansen-High speed, safe and reliable and carrying many people along
* A strong India is good for Japan and a strong Japan is good for India
Highlights of PM Narendra Modi’s speech:
* Growth in IIP numbers reflects that India is a country of opportunities
* First time Japan will import Maruti Suzuki cars from India
* Today there is a Make in India movement in Japan with a $12 billion fund
* Not just high speed train, India wants high speed growth
* India is a land of possibilities with excellent human resources and a technological base and Japan has been there at every turning point.
On economic front, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the two countries would like to work closely as it will benefit both.
“Strong Japan is good for India and strong India is good for Japan… I hope economic ties between our two countries will be ever closer,” Abe said.
Further, Modi said “Japan Plus” initiative that began last year in India as a policy experiment, is also doing well.
India wants not only high speed train, but also high speed growth, Modi said, adding that Indo-Japan business forum has discussed various opportunities between the countries.
Recommendations given by the forum will be actively considered by the Indian government, he said.
Economies of both the countries are showing signs of improvement amidst global slowdown, he said, adding, “Japan economic analysis which came yesterday was very encouraging. Even India’s manufacturing number was 10.6 per cent and 9.8 per cent IIP indicates growth.”
Modi said there is a need to move forward, taking advantage of the strength of human resources and technological base.
He added that the strategy adopted to improve India’s position in the Ease of Doing Business rankings, policy decisions and their effective implementation are now showing results.
Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at USD 15.51 billion in 2014-15 as against USD 16.29 billion in 2013-14.
India received USD 19.16 billion FDI from Japan during April 2000 and September 2015.
Speaking after the meeting, Maruti Suzuki chairman R C Bhargava said the company will export ‘Baleno’ at the moment.
When asked about the target, Bhargava said “we expect to export 20,000 to 30,000 in a year.”
However, he added that exporting automobiles to Japan is not an easy task.
Apollo Tyres chairman Onkar S Kanwar said Japanese companies have committed investment in infrastructure sectors including power.
Highlighting the technological prowess of Japan, CII past president Ajay Sriram said there is a lot to learn and there is a high mutual access between both the countries which will be beneficial for investment in India.
Other business leaders who attended the meeting included Bharti Enterprises chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal, ICICI Bank MD Chanda Kochhar, Essar Group chairman Shashi Ruia, CII president Sumit Mazumder, Ficci president Jyotsana Suri and Assocham president Sunil Kanoria.
[Source:- The Indian Express]