Concerning the Courtesy Call on Prime Minister Kan by Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry Sharma

February 15, 2011
Japanese

(Photos: Cabinet Public Relations Office)

On Tuesday, February 15, Prime Minister Naoto Kan received a courtesy call from the Minister of Commerce and Industry of the Government of India, H.E. Mr. Anand Sharma, who is currently visiting to Japan. The overview of the meeting is as follows.

Japan-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)

Prime Minister Kan said that he was pleased that Minister of Commerce and Industry Sharma and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Seiji Maehara would sign the Japan-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement on the following day. He also stated that the CEPA had great potential, and that he had talked about its early signing during his meeting with Prime Minister of India, H.E. Dr. Manmohan Singh last year. He asked Minister Sharma to give his warmest regards to Prime Minister Singh.

Minister Sharma replied that he had also been asked by Prime Minister Singh to convey his warmest regards to Prime Minister Kan.
Infrastructure Development

Prime Minister Kan stated that, while Japan has infrastructure and technologies which are needed for India with its high economic growth rate and large population, Japan-India cooperation could bring significant economic benefits.

Minister Sharma noted that India needs approximately US$550 billion in infrastructure investment over the next five years and approximately US$1 trillion in the following five years, and that India expected Japan to play a leadership role in technology, innovation, and sustainable development. He regarded the Japan-India relationship as one of the most important bilateral relationships for India, and said that in the 21st century, this relationship would become not merely of importance to Japan and India alone, but that it could also influence the rest of Asia and the world.

In response to this, Prime Minister Kan expressed his expectation that Japanese technology would be used in the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project.

Minister Sharma replied that Japan is a good partner in the DMIC project and expressed his expectation that even more Japanese companies would invest in India.

(*This is a provisional translation. The above date denotes the date of the issue of the original press release in Japanese.)

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