NEW DELHI: India and Japan are likely to expand economic ties in a big way. The two sides have concluded negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which will be announced during the visit of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to Tokyo on the first leg of his three-nation Asia tour beginning on Sunday. Briefing media about Pm tour foreign secretary Niupama Rao said, the agreement signifies the economic alignment of the two largest economies in Asia.
PM visiting Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam aimed at giving a further impetus to India’s Look East Policy.
On the Civil Nuclear Energy cooperation with Japan, Ms. Rao said that the two sides intend to take the discussions forward and there is a political resolve from both the sides to continue their discussions to build a more common ground.
The Prime Minister will have extensive discussions with his Japanese counterpart Naoto Kan at their annual summit slated for Monday. Major infrastructure development projects in India including the Dedicated Freight Corridor and Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, bilateral security cooperation as well as High Technology Trade and Energy Cooperation including renewable and civil nuclear energy are expected to come up for discussions.
India and Malaysia are likely to announce the conclusion of negotiations on the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement on goods services and investment during the Prime Minister visit on the second leg of his tour.
The Prime Minister will take part in the 8th India-ASEAN summit and 5th East Asia Summits in Hanoi, Vietnam on the final leg of his tour.