Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Japan's Tokyo on Monday, 23 May, has written an op-ed on the 70-year-old relations between India and Japan, tracing the journey of their "special friendship." The editorial has been published on Monday, a day ahead of the Quad Summit in Tokyo.
"Special, strategic and global. These three words, which describe the relationship between Japan and India," Prime Minister Modi wrote in the piece, adding that that the aforementioned words also fall short of articulating the true potential of the partnership between the two countries.
"We have traversed a long distance since we established diplomatic relations in 1952. In my view, though, the best is yet to come. Today, as both India and Japan look to re-invigorate and refashion our economies in a post-COVID era, there is immense scope to deepen our engagement across the entire spectrum from trade and investment to defence and security."Prime Minister Narendra Modi
The op-ed has been published in a local paper, in Japanese. The editorial mentions that several Indian leaders like Buddhist monk Bodhisena and poet Rabindranath Tagore had fostered the country's links to Japan.
Sharing the article on Twitter, Modi wrote that the ties between the two nations hold even more importance in the post-COVID scenario.
"Closer India-Japan cooperation is vital in the post-COVID world. Our nations are firmly committed to democratic values. Together, we are key pillars of a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region. I am equally glad that we are working closely in various multilateral forums as well."
Japan Partnering With India in Key Sectors Like Infra, Tech, Start-Ups: Modi
PM Modi further said that he had been interacting with Japanese leaders since his days as the chief minister of Gujarat. "Japan’s developmental strides have always been admirable. Japan is partnering India in key sectors including infrastructure, technology, innovation, start-ups and more," the PM stated.
"In March of this year, in New Delhi, Prime Minister Kishida and I presented a roadmap for deepening the "India-Japan Special Strategic Global Partnership" towards a peaceful, stable and prosperous post-Corona world. As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, we are building a decisive cooperative relationship in this region," a translation of the op-ed states.
Noting that Japan has invested in development throughout India, including in the high-speed rail project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, Modi wrote, "Japan also proved that India is an irreplaceable collaborator in the process of promoting development and modernization."
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