Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy. The focus of their discussion was the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project, a landmark collaboration between India and Japan.
Key Highlights in G7 Summit:
- Investment Commitment: The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project aims to revolutionize mobility in India. With a targeted investment of 5 trillion yen, Japan is committed to supporting this ambitious infrastructure initiative.
- 10 Years of Partnership: The India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership has entered its 10th year. During this period, significant progress has been made across various sectors, including the high-speed rail project and the India-Japan Industrial Competitiveness Partnership.
- Strengthening Ties: PM Modi and PM Kishida discussed ways to strengthen business, people-to-people, and government-to-government relations. They emphasized the importance of bilateral ties, which will continue to receive priority during PM Modi’s third term in office.
- Ongoing Cooperation: The meeting provided an opportunity to review ongoing works of cooperation. India and Japan are collaborating not only on the high-speed rail project but also on other critical areas, such as manufacturing transformation.
- Next Steps: The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the progress made and looked forward to continuing their discussions at the next India-Japan annual summit.
In a tweet, PM Modi expressed delight at meeting PM Kishida, highlighting the boost to India-Japan relations. The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project represents a significant step toward enhancing connectivity and economic growth in both nations12.
The G7 Summit serves as a platform for global leaders to address critical issues. This bilateral meeting underscores the commitment of India and Japan to advancing sustainable and efficient transportation infrastructure.