India and Japan seek early agreement on civil nuclear deal

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe on Wednesday decided to speed up talks on a civil nuclear deal to allow Japan to export nuclear reactors to India and to bolster maritime security cooperation at a time when China's postures in the seas of the regional have caused concerns.

A joint statement issued at the end of exhaustive talks between Singh and Abe said the two Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries, while recognising that nuclear safety is a priority for both governments.

"In this context, they directed their officials to accelerate the negotiations of an Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy towards an early conclusion," it said.

"Everything is linked to Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)," Tomohiko Taniguchi, Councillor, Cabinet Secretariat, said on being asked whether India inking the NPT is linked with progress on the civil nuclear cooperation agreement.

Japan is the only country in the world to have faced nuclear attacks.

Negotiations for the civil nuclear cooperation agreement have not made much headway since Japan was struck by Fukushima nuclear disaster in March, 2011.

While Japan has backed the Indo-US nuclear deal and the exemptions given to India from international technology sanctions, successive governments in Tokyo have found the going tough in garnering political support for it in the face of stiff opposition from the non-proliferation lobby here.

India and Japan also welcomed the expanding bilateral defence ties and agreed to further cooperate on maritime issues to ensure freedom of navigation and unimpeded commerce.

Terming Japan as a partner, Singh said that at a time of global uncertainties, change and challenges, India and Japan are "natural and indispensable partners for advancing prosperity in our two countries and for a peaceful, stable, cooperative and prosperous future for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions".

The remarks came amidst flexing of muscles by China in the South China Sea and East China Sea.

China has in the recent past used its naval ships and aircraft to intimidate neighbouring countries including Japan which are in dispute with Beijing over maritime rights.

Both sides also expressed their commitment to continue to work to prepare the ground for India to become a full member in the international export control regimes.

These included the Nuclear Suppliers Group, the Missile Technology Control Regime, the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Agreement.

Abe stressed on the importance of bringing into force the Comprehensive Test ban treaty (CTBT) at an early date.

Japan wants India to sign both the NPT and the CTBT, which New Delhi terms as discriminatory.

On his part, Singh reiterated India's commitment to its unilateral and voluntary moratorium on nuclear explosive testing.

The two sides signed the Exchange of Notes for yen loan totalling USD 424 billion.

This includes USD 71 billion for the Mumbai Metro Line-lll project as well as the yen loan of the fiscal year 2012 for USD 353.106 billion for eight projects.

During substantive talks Singh had with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, the two sides vowed to further strengthen their strategic ties and deepen economic cooperation.

The Prime Minister said India attaches particular significance to intensifying political dialogue and strategic consultations and progressively strengthening defence relations, including through naval exercises and collaboration in defence technology.

He said cooperation in high technology, space, energy security and rare earth minerals will also add rich content to the strategic relationship between the two countries.

The Prime Minister said there was a meeting of minds in his discussions on global and regional issues.

"We will seek reforms in the United Nations Security Council, an open, rule-based and balanced regional architecture and deeper regional economic integration and connectivity," he said.

Abe said maritime security cooperation will be further strengthened between the two countries and Japan will extend cooperation for introduction of high speed rail in India.

Abe said the two leaders also discussed the visit of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko by end of November or early December this year.

The two Prime Ministers welcomed the expanding defence relations between the two countries and decided to conduct naval exercises on a regular basis with increased frequency.

They decided to establish a Joint Working Group to explore the modality for the cooperation on the US-2 amphibian aircraft.

Condemning terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, the two Prime Ministers underlined the need to adopt a holistic approach that ensures zero tolerance towards terrorism.

They reemphasised their resolve to work towards early reform of the UN, including the expansion of the UN Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories, particularloy through the efforts of the G-4 so as to reflect contemporary geopolitical realities, the statement said.

A group of protesters raised anti-nuclear slogans outside the venue of the summit talks between Singh and Abe.

Later, at a banquet hosted in his honour by Abe, Singh said the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement signed earlier by the two countries opened new possibilities for bolstering economic relations.

"Our growing security cooperation is now adding an important dimension to our partnership," he said.

Warmly reciprocating, Abe said, "You are the senior-most, sometimes a mentor-like, leader I can still call 'my dear friend'".

"I think I have learnt from you more than I am aware myself. You think, do you not, that history, not the daily headlines, is the only judge for the steps you have taken. I think I must do as you have done, in your hall mark calmness," he said.

Even as India dismissed reports of going slow on ties with Japan not to annoy China, Japan said it has no issues of New Delhi cooperating with Beijing.

On the South China Sea issue troubling Japan, spokesperson Taniguchi said continuous efforts were being made by China to change its status quo and it was a matter of concern to Tokyo.

He said China was showing its "might" with each passing day with its intrusions which was not acceptable.

He, however, did not want to compare the recent Chinese intrusion in Ladakh with the developments in Senkaku Islands.