Cooperation on N-plants a pillar of Japan-India strategic ties

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited India and held talks with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, signing a joint statement in which both countries pledged to cooperate in such areas as nuclear power plants, high-speed railways and security. 

Following the talks, Abe emphasised, “Japan and India are entering a new era.” Modi said: “Japanese companies’ investment in India will dramatically increase.”

Worthy of note is that the two countries agreed, in principle, on nuclear cooperation, which would allow Japanese firms to export to India equipment and technology related to nuclear power plants. India has already concluded a nuclear cooperation accord with other countries, including the United States, France, Russia and South Korea. To solve its acute power shortage, India plans to drastically increase the number of its nuclear power plants. 

Japan’s cooperation will be in sync with India’s energy strategy and will form a key foundation for raising the Japan-India bilateral relationship to a higher dimension. India is a nuclear power, which has not yet signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. In 2008, it announced that it would continue a freeze on nuclear tests. 

During summit talks, Abe told Modi that Japan would suspend nuclear cooperation if India holds a nuclear test. The accord should limit the cooperation to solely peaceful purposes, while a clear-cut brake should be put in place to prevent the fruits of the cooperation from being applied militarily. It is important for the Japan to persistently urge India to join an international framework of nuclear non-proliferation and to promote nuclear disarmament.

Both leaders also agreed to have the Shinkansen bullet train system adopted for India’s high-speed rail project, currently being planned, connecting the cities of Mumbai and Ahmedabad in western India. The project’s cost is estimated to total 1.8 trillion yen (US$14.85 billion), with Japan offering yen loans to cover up to about 80 per cent of the total.

It will be the second case for Japan’s Shinkansen bullet train system to be adopted abroad, following Taiwan. In light of the fact that Japan lost to China in a bid to win a contract to build Indonesia’s high-speed railway, Japan boosted its provision of financial assistance. The latest success in winning the contract is likely due to this. 

Expansion in export of nuclear power and transportation infrastructure is a major pillar of the growth strategy pursued by the Abe administration. The public and private sectors should cooperate with each other closely from a medium- and long-term perspective.

Regarding developments in the South China Sea, both leaders, in the joint statement, called on countries concerned to avoid “unilateral actions”. They had in mind China, the country that has been building artificial islands there.

Securing safety of the sea-lanes linking the Middle East and Asia is essential for free economic activity. It is necessary to raise objections and make requests to Beijing, taking advantage of various opportunities, concerning China’s strong-arm maritime advances.

Japan and India signed an accord regarding the transfer of defence equipment and technology and a pact on protection of military information. 

The two countries also agreed that the Maritime Self-Defense Force would regularly take part in US-India naval exercises. 

In order to enhance the effectiveness of defence cooperation between Japan and India, a multi-tiered partnership that includes such countries as the US and Australia should be reinforced.