Visit to India by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and Mrs. Noda
(Summary and Assessment)

I. Summary of Itinerary

1. (1) Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and Mrs. Noda paid a State Visit to Delhi, India from Tuesday, December 27 to Thursday, December 29, 2011.
2. (2) In the morning of December 28, Prime Minister Noda attended a welcome ceremony and offered wreath at Raj Ghat. Prime Minister Noda then received a courtesy call by Minister of External Affairs S. M. Krishna, delivered an address at a meeting hosted by the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), and attended a luncheon meeting hosted by India's three industry and commerce organizations. In the afternoon, the Prime Minister met with Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, and held a Summit meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, followed by a joint press conference. Prime Minister Noda and Mrs. Noda attended a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Singh and Mrs. Singh.
3. (3) At the Summit meeting, the two Prime Ministers exchanged views on enhancing cooperation in a wide range of areas, including bilateral relations in political, security and economic fields among others, as well as the regional situation and global issues. After the meeting, the two Prime Ministers signed a Joint Statement entitled, "Vision for the Enhancement of Japan-India Strategic and Global Partnership upon entering the year of the 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations."

II. Overview of summit meeting

1. Bilateral relations

(1) General

1. (a) Prime Minister Noda reiterated his gratitude for the substantial support extended from India in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Prime Minister Singh expressed his hope that Japan will make a full recovery as early as possible.
2. (b) The two Prime Ministers concurred that, as next year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and India, they would make best use of the opportunity to strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges in order to deepen mutual understanding at their citizens' level.

(2) Politicsal and security fields

1. (a) The two Prime Ministers affirmed the importance of continuing Annual Summits between them. Prime Minister Noda extended to Prime Minister Singh his invitation to visit Japan in 2012, which Prime Minister Singh accepted with pleasure.
2. (b) The two Prime Ministers expressed satisfaction at the holding of the Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue and of Defense Ministers' meeting.
3. (c) The two Prime Ministers affirmed that they would expand cooperation in the area of maritime security, including safety and freedom of navigation. They welcomed the bilateral exercise between the Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Indian Navy to be held in 2012.

(3) Economy and Economic Cooperation

1. (a) The two Prime Ministers welcomed the entry into force of the Japan-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in August this year and the commencement of negotiations on an agreement on social security.
2. (b) With regard to the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), Prime Minister Noda announced the intention of the Government of Japan to make available finance totaling 4.5 billion US dollars in the next five years. The two Prime Ministers concurred that they would promote participation of Japanese companies to realize the DMIC. In this regard, both Governments reached an agreement on such issues as Japan's involvement with the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (DMICDC), relaxation of financial restrictions so as to promote DMIC projects, allocation of natural gas for DMIC projects, and early realization of three model projects, namely, seawater desalination at Dahej, Gujarat, a microgrid system using large-scale photovoltaic (PV) power generation Project at Neemrana Industrial Area in Rajasthan, and gas-fired independent power producer (IPP) Project in Maharashtra.
3. (c) The two Prime Ministers concurred on the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation on infrastructure development in Southern India, improvement of connectivity between Chennai and Bangalore, and development of India's High-speed railway system.
4. (d) Prime Minister Noda pledged that the Government of Japan would extend ODA loans totaling approximately 1.7 billion US dollars (approx. 134.3 billion yen) in total for two projects including for the Delhi Mass Rapid Transport System Project.
5. (e) The two Prime Ministers decided to enhance the earlier bilateral currency swap arrangement from 3 billion US dollars to 15 billion US dollars.
6. (f) Concerning civil nuclear cooperation, Prime Minister Singh noted that he understood Japan's sensitivity well. The two Prime Ministers decided to move forward with the negotiations with a view to concluding an Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy in a mutually satisfactory manner.
7. (g) With regard to rare earths, the two Prime Ministers shared the view that both Governments should continue their dialogue in order for Japanese and Indian enterprises to jointly undertake industrial activities.

2. Regional Situations and Global Issues(a)

1. (1) On North Korea, Prime Minister Noda emphasized the critical importance of stability in the situation on North Korean, and asked for India's understanding and cooperation on Japan's position including on the abduction issue. Prime Minister Singh responded that India intends to cooperate closely with Japan.
2. (2) The two Prime Ministers also exchanged views on regional situations in Asia as well as a range of global issues including global economy, climate change, disarmament and non-proliferation, and United Nations Security Council reform, and affirmed that the two countries continue cooperation on these issues.

III. Evaluation

1. (1) As this year marks the fifth year since the establishment of the Japan-India Strategic and Global Partnership in 2006, with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year, this State visit by Prime Minister Noda has impressed on all sides the friendly bilateral relationship between Japan and India, and contributed to further consolidating a trusting relationship at the leaders' level.
2. (2) With regard to bilateral relations, the two Prime Ministers shared the view that they should expand cooperation in the area of maritime security in the political and security fields. Substantial progress was made in many economic areas, including cooperation for the DMIC, infrastructure development in Southern India including the connectivity between Chennai and Bangalore, enhancement of the bilateral currency swap arrangement, extension of ODA loans including for the Delhi Mass Rapid Transport System, joint rare earths projects, among others.
3. (3) With regard to regional situations and global issues, the two Prime Ministers also affirmed that the two countries continue cooperation in various regional issues in Asia and other international issues such as the global economy and climate change.