Prime Minister Narendra Modi who reached Osaka on Thursday for the G-20 Summit, held wide-ranging talks with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on the global economy and the issues of fugitive economic offenders and disaster management and announced that the Indian President will participate in the coronation ceremony of Emperor Naruhito in October.
This was the first meeting between the two leaders since Modi’s re-election. The PM also appreciated Japan’s leadership as the G20 chairman. He said he was looking forward to the visit of Abe to India later this year for the annual Summit.
Briefing media later, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said it was a “warm” meeting between two “old friends” who had a “very constructive” discussion” on bilateral relations. The two leaders also had a brief discussion on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor and on a convention centre being built in Varanasi, Modi’s constituency.
Modi appreciated the work Japan is doing in the infrastructure projects in the Northeast. He also sought Japan’s assistance in building disaster resilient infrastructure.
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The ties between India and Japan will become stronger in ‘New India’, Modi said, and thanked the Indian diaspora in Japan for being part of the world’s largest democratic process. “I am aware that many of you have also contributed in this electoral victory,” he said.
“I’m fortunate to be here once again after seven months. It’s a coincidence that last time when I was here, election results were out here and you had shown trust in my dear friend Shinzo Abe. Today, when I’m here, the world’s largest democracy has shown even greater trust in this Pradhan Sevak,” he said.