Japan PM Shinzo Abe arrives in India, bullet train, civil nuclear deal top agendas

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday arrived in India on a three-day visit. Welcoming his Japanese counterpart in Delhi, Prime Minister Modi on Friday described him as a “phenomenal leader” and said his trip will further deepen the bilateral relations. “Liked how PM @AbeShinzo describes India-Japan ties, the rich potential & cultural bond in his piece” in a newspaper, Modi tweeted.

Welcome to India @AbeShinzo. Your visit will provide new strength and vigour to India-Japan ties.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2015

A Rs 98,000-crore deal to build a bullet train network is among a number of agreements likely to be signed during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s three-day visit beginning on Friday during which he will hold annual summit talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. The focus of the visit will be on forging greater synergies between two major Asian economies and take forward the special strategic ties. In the 9th annual Indo-Japan summit talks on Saturday, Modi and Abe will review implementation of various decisions taken in course of last one year to enhance economic ties, particularly in the trade and investment sector. PM Modi said Abe’s visit will deepen Indo-Japan relations.

India is all set to welcome its great friend & a phenomenal leader, PM @AbeShinzo. His visit will further deepen India-Japan relations.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2015

Sources said a number of agreements including awarding the Rs 98,000 crore contract to build India’s first bullet train network will be inked. After the talks, he will leave for Varanasi, which is Modi’s Parliamentary constituency, where he will attend Ganga Aarti at famous Dasaswamedh Ghat. Modi will accompany Abe during his nearly four-and-a-half-hour-long visit to Varanasi.