‘Japan is India’s all-weather friend, China needn’t worry’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s August 30-September 3 visit to Japan is laden with great expectations and hopes of substantive outcomes, which can transform the geopolitical dynamics of Asia. In this conversation with www.indiawrites.org, Sanjaya Baru, a well-known commentator on foreign affairs and Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, speaks about the unique character of India-Japan relations, Japan’s starring role in the development of India and his expectations from the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Japan. Baru, the author of The Accidental Prime Minister and Director of Geo-economics and Strategy at the International Institute of Strategic Studies, predicts a robust future of India-Japan relations and underlines that Japan is and will be India’s all-weather friend in days to come.

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Modi’s Japan visit: Great Expectations

India has “great expectations” from the forthcoming visit to Japan by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is hoping for substantive outcomes.

In a rare gesture signifying special relationship with India, Prime Minister Abe will be personally flying down to Kyoto, an exemplar smart city that blends cultural heritage with modern amenities, to receive him on August 30. During this trip, Modi will have substantial and wide-ranging discussion with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other political, business and educational leaders in Japan.

“We expect, as an outcome, India and Japan to elevate our strategic and global partnership to new level. In short, if I were to summarise for all of you, we have great expectation of Modi’s first visit to Japan,” said Syed Akbaruddin spokesperson for India’s ministry of external affairs at a media briefing on August 28.

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