INTERVIEW: Japan “Key Partner” in India’s Road to Developed Nation

Tokyo, Aug. 18 (Jiji Press)–Indian Ambassador to Japan Nagma Mallick has called Japan a “key partner” for India in the South Asian nation’s road to becoming a developed nation. In a written interview with the Jiji Press, Mallick said that the bilateral relationship “is marked by a high degree of mutual trust and strategic convergences.” “This and our mutual complementarities make us natural and indispensable partners in realizing our strategic goals and national interests,” she said. “Needless to say, India sees Japan as a key partner in our journey to becoming Viksit,” Mallick added, referring to the Indian government’s Viksit Bharat vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047. Last year, the Japanese and Indian leaders signed an agreement that Japan will aim to spend 10 trillion yen in private-sector investments on India over 10 years. The two also agreed on the introduction of the next-generation E10 series Shinkansen bullet trains of East Japan Railway Co., or JR East, on a planned high-speed rail link in India. “Many of our large-scale infrastructure projects carry a Japanese stamp,” Mallick said. She also highlighted a rise in people-to-people exchanges and cultural interactions, including through yoga. The embassy has played a part in this, hosting yoga events at Tsukiji Hongwanji, a Buddhist temple in Tokyo’s Tsukiji area. With Saturday marking the 79th anniversary of India’s independence from British rule, Mallick said, “The India of today has come a long way from the one that set out as an independent nation in 1947.” Next year will not only mark the independence milestone of 80 years but also the 75th anniversary of the establishment of its diplomatic ties with Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, in their joint statement issued at their summit held in July this year called 2027 the “Year of Shared Horizons.” Mentioning the two nations’ “mutual interests” in sports, anime and other fields, Mallick said that the two sides will be “undertaking coordinated activities that bring out the breadth and depth of our relationship.” She also said that the two sides will aim to boost cooperation in the business sector and over science and technology as well as having young people involved in the celebrations. Aside from the importance of economic and cultural factors in Japan-India ties, Mallick said, “Defense and security cooperation is an important pillar of our relationship.” On the Takaichi-Modi summit, Mallick said that the two leaders had “reflected on the role our special strategic and global partnership plays in advancing peace, prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.” “Our countries recognize that as leading democracies and major economies of the world, we have a duty to shape and uphold an international order which is free, open and based on the rule of law,” she said. At the summit, the two leaders agreed to deepen their nations’ strategic ties to achieve the Japan-proposed initiative of realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific region while sharing their deep concerns over economic coercion with China in mind. Mallick also highlighted the importance of the Quad framework, which consists of the two nations plus the United States and Australia, saying that the four countries’ efforts for cooperation in maritime security, critical technologies and other areas “are expected to support growth, prosperity, peace and stability in this region.” The Indian government has said that the country’s gross domestic product grew 7.7 pct in the year that ended in March. “This is a result of a decade of structural reforms” that have made it easier to do business in India, Mallick said, calling for Japanese companies to expand business and investments in her country. “India’s commitment to Japan is visible,” she said, mentioning Modi’s recent announcement that his office will organize a “Japan Business Week” dedicated to Japanese companies. “My simple message is that in India, Japan has a trusted partner. India sees Japan the same way,” she said. “The best of the India-Japan partnership is still ahead of us and I hope to work closely with Japan to realize it.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]