China in mind, Abe pitches to make India factory of the world

China’s growing influence in Asia-Pacific, visiting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday pitched for an increased role of Japan and India to keep “democracy and rule of law” intact in the region.

Abe said that the ties between India and Japan “are no more bilateral”. “Our ties now lead the global system based on the rules of Indian and Pacific Oceans and have developed into a special strategic and global partnership,” he said.

In what may challenge China’s monopoly in the global market, Abe pitched for making India the “factory of the world”. “Japan is committed to ‘Make in India’. If Japan’s high-level technique merges with India’s best human resources, India will become the factory of the world.”

Pointing out that Indian and Japan keep basic values like independence, democracy, human rights and rule of law intact in the region, Abe said, “Asia’s two large democracies, India and Japan, have the ability to become the representatives of traditions nurtured in the continent like diversity, tolerance, refusing changes brought in by force and resolving crisis through peaceful means.” Abe said it is important that India and Japan together promote defence values in the Indian and Pacific Oceans and encourage mutual development.

“All the countries in the Indian and Pacific Oceans region wish for an independent, open and continuous growth. They want that the regional sovereignty and local employment be respected. They want development based on the interest of their citizens. To realise this, India and Japan will make their ties stronger,” he said.