- India and Japan have signed 15 agreements for enhancing bilateral cooperation in several key areas including investment promotion, civil aviation, and Science & Technology.
- Japan and Indian PM laid foundation stone for Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project.
- India-Japan signed a MoU to set up India Japan Act East Forum to enhance connectivity and promote developmental projects in Northeast India.
- The purpose of forum is to converge India’s Act East Policy with Japan’s Free and Open Asia-Pacific strategy in the backdrop of China’s One Belt One Road initiative.
- It will enhance connectivity and promote developmental projects in India’s Northeast region in an efficient and effective manner.
- It can complement India’s connectivity initiatives in Bangladesh, Myanmar and beyond, besides BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) and BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Motor Vehicle Agreements.
- Japan is already involved in several infrastructure projects in NE India.
- China opposes Japan’s involvement in NE. China warned that third-party should not meddle in border disputes between India and China. It held that negotiations are still on to settle eastern section of China-India border, so it is opposing involvement of any third party in region in whatsoever form.