Abe’s visit will strengthen bilateral relations: Modi

“Liked how PM @AbeShinzo describes India-Japan ties, the rich potential & cultural bond in his piece” in a newspaper, Modi tweeted.

“India is all set to welcome its great friend & a phenomenal leader, PM @AbeShinzo. His visit will further deepen India-Japan relations,” he said in another tweet. 

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived in New Delhi on Friday on a three-day official visit amid expectations that a pact will be firmed up on India’s first bullet train and over progress in the talks on a civil nuclear deal. Mr Abe was received by Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha.

Abe was set to begin his three-day visit on Friday during which he will hold annual summit talks with Modi on Saturday. They will review implementation of various decisions taken in course of last one year to enhance economic ties, particularly in the trade and investment sector.

A Rs 98,000-crore deal to build a bullet train network is among a number of agreements likely to be signed. 

Abe will call on President Pranab Mukherjee, address the Japan-India Innovation Seminar and meet business leaders.

After the talks, Abe will visit Varanasi, which is Modi’s Parliamentary constituency, where he will attend ‘Ganga Aarti’ at famous Dasaswamedh Ghat. Modi will accompany Abe during his nearly four-and-a-half-hour-long visit to Varanasi. The visit assumes significance as it comes against the backdrop of Partner City Agreement between Kyoto and Varanasi, Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency, signed by the two leaders during the Prime Minister’s visit to Japan in August last year. As part of the Agreement, colloquially called the ‘Kashi-Kyoto pact’, the ancient temple town will receive assistance from the former capital of Japan in overcoming its problems of traffic congestion, poor sanitation and crumbling infrastructure while preserving its heritage.