Japanese PM coming; Nuke deal to figure in talks with India

New Delhi, Dec 26 (PTI) Civil nuclear cooperation will be among the major issues of discussion at the Summit meeting between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Japanese counterpart Yoshihiko Noda in New Delhi on Wednesday during which the two sides will also look at ways to enhance trade. Noda will arrive here tomorrow on a three-day visit amid India's expectations of increased Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) from Japan across the board and possibility of an agreement on USD 10 billion currency swap. "I think this will be a subject that will be discussed between the two Prime Ministers at the summit," Gautam Bambawale, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in India's External Affairs Ministry, told reporters here when asked whether civil nuclear issue, which is under negotiation, would figure in the 6th annual Summit. Making it clear that the proposed deal was not off in the wake of radiation scare in Fukushima due to tsunami in March, he said there have been some informal consultations between the two countries after that incident. Prior to that there have been three formal rounds of negotiations, Bambawale said. "I am quite sure that this is a subject which will be discussed between the two Prime Ministers. What is the outcome of the discussions, I won't be able to tell you. We can leave it to the two Prime Ministers," he said. Syed Akbaruddin, the new spokesman of the External Affairs Ministry, said civil nuclear cooperation issue has been receiving high level attention. The two Prime Ministers will also discuss regional issues, including the new developments in North Korea after the death of its leader Kim Jong-il. The Indian side would like to listen to the Japanese perspective from Noda, who will be on his first visit to India as Prime Minister. During the visit, the Indian side would also be looking at enhanced trade ties, including increased FDI from Japan which now contributes mainly to manufacturing sector. Bambawale said Japan has been contributing a lot of FDI in manufacturing, automobiles and electronics sector and added India is hoping to see an increase in investments across the board. Akbaruddin said India-Japan relations have rapidly diversified and significantly strengthened in recent years and noted that a number of high-level consultations have taken place between the two countries in the past one year. "India continues to be the largest recipient of Japanese ODA, of which we are very appreciative. There are more than 60 projects under implementation with Japanese loan assistance," he said. About the currency swap agreement between India and Japan, Bambawale said there have been some discussions on the issue between the Finance Ministries of two countries but that he was not aware of the latest developments. On whether China had any objections to the trilateral summit between India, US and Japan that was held in Washington last week, Bambawale said the talks were not aimed at any third country. "We don't know whether they (China) have raised it with any other country. But with regard to India they have not raised any (objection)," he said. Bambawale said Japan had not stopped the Overseas Development Assistance that it has been offering to India even after the Fukushima incident in March this year. Akbaruddin said the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement signed in February this year was operationalised on August one and it signifies the economic alignment of two of the largest economies in Asia and is expected to lead to a marked increase in our business and economic ties. Bilateral trade has shown a robust increase of 24 per cent during January-September over the corresponding period of last year to reach USD 13.2 billion, he said. High Technology Trade and Energy Cooperation including energy efficiency, renewable and civil nuclear energy, are also subjects that have been receiving high level attention, he said, adding that science and technology cooperation is emerging as a key element of the relationship. He also said as fellow G-4 members India and China have enunciated a common vision of an enlarged UN Security Council for the 21st century by expansion both in permanent and non-permanent categories on the basis of contributions made to the maintenance of peace and security as well as the need for increased representation of developing countries in both categories. The two Prime Ministers will also discuss about the celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in a befitting manner. PTI