India, Japan ready to assume "commensurate global role": PM

Anil K Joseph
Tokyo, Oct 23 (PTI) Describing India and Japan as "major powers" and "two major pillars of new Asia," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday said the two strategic partners are ready to play a "commensurate global role" in world affairs.

"On the strength of our strong bilateral partnership, we
stand Thursday as two major powers ready to play a
commensurate global role," Singh said a day after inking a
landmark security cooperation agreement with his Japanese
counterpart Taro Aso here.

"India believes that a strong and dynamic Japan is a
powerful factor of peace and stability in Asia and the world
at large," Singh said at a welcome lunch reception held in his
honour by the Japan-India Association and Japan-India
Parliamentary Friendship League.

"We look to the wise counsel and leadership of Japan" to
meet the challenges facing the globe, he said, adding that New
Delhi wished to draw upon Tokyo's vast developmental
experience and her traditional emphasis on "consensus, harmony
and balance in solving formidable problems that now threaten
global peace and prosperity".

Significantly, the function was also attended by former
Japanese Premier Yoshiro Mori, who was instrumental in
transforming the bilateral ties with a landmark visit in 2000,
besides ex-premier Yasuo Fukuda.

Describing himself as a "frequent visitor" to Japan,
Singh said: "it has been my earnest desire for past several
decades, to see this relationship prosper and grow. I am very
happy to witness today the transformation of India-Japan
relations. It is truly developing into a global and strategic
partnership as envisaged when Prime Minister Mori visited
India in 2000".

"In the past 60 years, we have broadened and deepened the
relationship into a durable and productive partnership," he
said at the event, attended by prominent members of the
growing Indian community in Japan.

In the next phase of the growing bilateral ties the two
sides plan to exploit opportunities offered by globalisation,
he said.

"In the next phase of our relationship, we seek to
exploit the opportunities offered by globalisation and by the
synergies in our economies to expand flows of trade,
technology, investment and people-to-people contacts," the
prime minister said.

Singh also thanked Japan for the developmental assistance
it has been offering to India, especially for industrial
modernisation. He also touched upon the raging global economic
meltdown, referring to it as "multiple challenges" facing the
world.

"The world is now facing multiple challenges. The spectre
of recession in the global economy, coming as it does in the
wake of steep rise in energy and food prices, threatens to
disrupt the rhythm of economic development in many developing
countries," he said.

Referring to other significant issues on the world scene,
the prime minister said while terrorism is a "danger to our
peace-loving societies, climate change and environmental
degradation also threaten our beautiful planet".

Commending the immense contributions made by the Indian
community in Japan, Singh said they have "built bridges of
friendship and understanding between our two people. Their
achievement have made India proud".

"I am confident that all of us gathered here today will
redouble our efforts to strengthen our bilateral relationship,
which is very important for our two countries, for Asia and
indeed for the world at large," Singh said. PTI A.K.J.