Modi-Kishida meet bilaterally, India-Japan willing to collaborate in space and advanced technology

India-Japan collaboration in advanced technology including the space sector is on cards, said visiting Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi on September 9.

Kishida expressed his congratulations for the historic success of the landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the moon, and the two leaders concurred to work together in such areas as maintaining and strengthening a free and open international order based on the rule of law, as well as in the tech and space sector, the Embassy of Japan stated in a press release.

Prime Minister Kishida also stated that Japan-India relations have steadily progressed in recent years and called for cooperation in improving the investment environment in India toward the realization of the 5-trillion-yen target of public and private investment and financing from Japan to India in the next five years, which was set in March last year. Both leaders welcomed that the provision of a 400-billion-yen loan for the construction project of the high-speed rail (V), a flagship project of Japan and India, is underway, the release said.

In addition, Kishida stated that coordination is underway to launch the Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS), which will enable talented administrative officials who will play a leading role in Japan-India relations to study in Japan.

The Japanese Prime Minister also explained Japan's position regarding the recently initiated discharge of ALPS treated water into the ocean.

The two leaders welcomed the various initiatives being taken for the "Japan-India tourism exchange year," which was agreed on in March this year and concurred to continue to promote it in both countries. The leaders also concurred to work together to further strengthen bilateral relations, the release said.

While Prime Minister Modi expressed his gratitude for Japan's cooperation for the success of the G20 New Delhi Summit, his Japanese counterpart reiterated his gratitude for Prime Minister Modi's attendance at the G7 Hiroshima Summit and his desire to pass on the outcome of the G7 Hiroshima Summit to the G20 New Delhi Summit to contribute to its success.