Hours after the Japanese prime minister announced his decision to resign from the top post, PM Modi had tweeted, “Pained to hear about your ill health, my dear friend Shinzo Abe. In recent years, with your wise leadership and personal commitment, the India-Japan partnership has become deeper and stronger than ever before. I wish and pray for your speedy recovery.”
PM had also shared a picture of him at a dinner hosted by the Japanese Prime Minister at his holiday home in Yamanashi while he was there to take part in the 13th India-Japan Summit in October 2018.
Japanese PM Abe had a summit-level talk with PM Modi on the telephone on Thursday. Referring to his telephonic conversation, the Japanese PM said, “Prime Minister Modi and I have spent many hours together through our mutual visits every year. We have shared the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific and have been successful in rapidly strengthening the cooperative relationship between Japan and India, including in security.”
During the conversation, the two leaders also reviewed the status of ongoing cooperation, including the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, under the framework of the India-Japan Special Strategic & Global Partnership.
India and Japan have also signed the acquisition and cross-servicing agreement (ACSA) on Wednesday. Referring to the agreement the Japanese PM said, “The Agreement will promote closer cooperation between our Self-Defense Forces and the Indian Armed Forces and serve as a major cornerstone for Japan and India to actively contribute to international peace and security”
ACSA establishes the enabling framework for closer cooperation between the Armed Forces of India and Japan in the reciprocal provision of supplies and services while being engaged in bilateral training activities such as United Nations Peacekeeping Operations and humanitarian international relief. The Defence Ministry, in a statement, has said that the agreement will also enhance the nations’ inter-operability, thereby furthering the bilateral defence engagements under special Strategic and Global Partnership between the two countries.
While conveying his intention to work closely with the new government of Japan, PM Modi, in conversation with the outgoing PM of Japan, expressed confidence that the strong momentum attained by the India-Japan partnership in the last few years will continue unabated in the future.
-Abhishek Jha