Key schemes to get Japan’s push
Tokyo looks to increase investment in govt initiatives, enhance cooperation with New Delhi on infrastructural programmes across Africa and Asia to counter China’s OROP
GANDHINAGAR: Japan is all set to enhance support to India’s flagship programmes and announce new investments in Gujarat, besides stepping up international cooperation to counter China’s one-road-one-belt connectivity project.
Japanese premier Shinzo Abe arrives in Ahmedabad on Wednesday for a two-day visit that will feature his fourth annual summit meeting – and tenth encounter – with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After Russia, Japan is the only other country with which India holds annual summit meetings.
An ambitious agenda is on the cards at the summit, with Japan expressing its willingness to scale up investment in key flagship projects such as Make in India, Skill India and the Clean Ganga Mission.
Most of it would be in continuation of the developmental-cooperation trajectory the two leaders had arrived at in 2015: The provision of soft loans to build India’s first bullet train and another $12 billion in incentives for Japanese companies investing in India. “India can leverage Japanese technology and expertise in various fields to strengthen many of the government’s flagship projects,” an official said.
Election-bound Gujarat, which happens to be Prime Minister Modi’s home state, will also benefit from Japanese assistance. An agreement between the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Gujarat Maritime Board for developing the Alang shipbuilding yard, besides the establishment of two industrial parks, will be on the table during Abe’s visit. Both the sides will also strive to enhance their international cooperation in Asia and Africa, with a sharp focus on infrastructural projects.