India Japan Summit 2022

• 22 Mar 2022

For Prelims: India-Japan Relations, QUAD Grouping, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

For Mains: Significance of India-Japan Relations.

Why in News?

Recently, the Japanese Prime Minister was on an official visit to India for the 14^th India-Japan Annual Summit between the two Countries.

• The Summit took place at a time when the two countries were celebrating the 70^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and India was celebrating its 75th anniversary of Independence.
• Earlier, the Indian PM virtually inaugurated a Japanese ‘Zen Garden - Kaizen Academy’ at the Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) in Gujarat.

What are the Key Points of the Summit?

• Investment by Japan:
  • Japan will invest Rs 3.2 lakh crores in the next five years in India.
  • 7 JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) loans for projects in connectivity, water supply and sewerage, horticulture, healthcare, and biodiversity conservation in various States.
    • An MoU has been signed to introduce Johkasou technology in India by Japanese companies for decentralised wastewater treatment. It is used in areas where sewage infrastructure has not yet been developed.
• Sustainable Development Initiative for the North Eastern Region of India:
  • It has been launched with an eye on India’s infrastructure development in the Northeast, and includes both ongoing projects and possible future cooperation in connectivity, healthcare, new and renewable energy, as well as an initiative for strengthening bamboo value chain.
• India-Japan Digital Partnership:
  • On cyber security, the leaders discussed “India-Japan Digital Partnership” with a view to enhancing the digital economy through promotion of joint projects in the area of IoT (internet of Things), AI (Artificial Intelligence) and other emerging technologies.
  • Japan is looking forward to attracting more highly skilled Indian IT professionals to contribute to the Japanese ICT sector.
• Clean Energy Partnership:
  • It was launched for cooperation in areas such as electric vehicles, storage systems including batteries, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, development of solar energy; hydrogen; ammonia; etc.
  • The objective is to encourage manufacturing in India, creation of resilient and trustworthy supply chains in these areas as well as fostering collaboration in R&D (Research and Development).
  • It will be implemented through the existing mechanism of Energy Dialogue.
• Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR):
  • India appreciated Japan’s cooperation on the MAHSR and various Metro projects in India and looked forward to the planned preparatory survey for the Patna Metro.
• People to People Engagement:
  • The Indian PM confirmed India’s participation in the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, as an opportunity to further strengthen and broaden trade, investment and people-to-people links between the two countries.
• On Indo-Pacific:
  • The two leaders expressed their commitment to promoting peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
• QUAD:
  • The two PMs affirmed the importance of bilateral and plurilateral partnerships among like-minded countries in the region including the QUAD grouping between India-Australia-Japan and the United States.
  • The Japanese Prime Minister invited PM Modi for the QUAD Summit Meeting in Tokyo.
• Terrorism:
  • The two leaders reiterated “condemnation of terrorist attacks in India, including 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot attacks, and called upon Pakistan to take resolute and irreversible action against terrorist networks operating out of its territory and comply fully with international commitments, including to FATF (Financial Action Task Force).
• Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty:
  • The Japanese PM stressed the importance of early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
    • The Treaty intends to ban all nuclear explosions - everywhere, by everyone. It will enter into force after all 44 States listed in Annex 2 to the Treaty will ratify it.
    • India has not yet signed the Treaty.
• On Situation in Other Countries:
  • Ukraine: Talked about the serious invasion of Russia into Ukraine and sought a peaceful solution on the basis of international law.
  • China: India informed Japan about the situation in Ladakh, about the attempts of amassing troops and India's talks with China over border-related issues.
    • The Japanese PM also briefed India about his perspective of the East and South China sea.
  • Afghanistan:
    • On Afghanistan, the PMs expressed their intention to collaborate closely to realize peace and stability in Afghanistan, and stressed the importance of addressing the humanitarian crisis, promoting human rights and ensuring establishment of a truly representative and inclusive political system.
    • They also referred to the UNSC Resolution that unequivocally demands that “Afghan territory not be used for sheltering, training, planning or financing terrorist acts”.
  • North Korea: The PMs condemned North Korea’s destabilising ballistic missile launches in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs).
  • Myanmar: They called on Myanmar to urgently implement ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus.

PYQ

In which one of the following locations is the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project to be built? (2008)

(a) Northern Spain

(b) Southern France

(c) Eastern Germany

(d) Southern Italy

Ans: (b)

What are other Recent Developments between India and Japan?

• Recently, India, Japan and Australia have formally launched the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) in a move to counter China’s dominance of the supply chain in the Indo-Pacific region.
• In 2020, India and Japan signed a logistics agreement that will allow armed forces of both sides to coordinate closely in services and supplies. The agreement is known as the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA).
• In 2014, India and Japan upgraded their relationship to 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership'.
• The India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that came into force in August 2011 covers trade in goods, services, movement of natural persons, investments, Intellectual Property Rights, custom procedures and other trade related issues.
  • Japan is India’s 12th largest trading partner, and trade volumes between the two stand at just a fifth of the value of India-China bilateral trade.
• Defence Exercises: India and Japan defence forces organize a series of bilateral exercises namely, JIMEX (naval), SHINYUU Maitri (Air Force), and Dharma Guardian (Army). Both countries also participate in Malabar exercise (Naval Exercise) with the USA and Australia.
• Both India and Japan are members of G-20 and G-4.
• They are also member countries of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).

PYQ

In which one of the following groups are all the four countries members of G20? (2020)

(a) Argentina, Mexico, South Africa and Turkey

(b) Australia, Canada, Malaysia and New Zealand

(c) Brazil, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam

(d) Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and South Korea

Ans: (a)

Way Forward

• More collaboration and cooperation can prove beneficial to both nations, since India needs sophisticated technology from Japan.
• There is a huge potential with respect to Make in India. Joint ventures could be created by merging Japanese digital technology with Indian raw materials and labour.
• Close cooperation is the best measure to combat China’s growing role in Asia and Indo-Pacific, in physical as well as digital space.

Source: PIB