Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and PM Narendra Modi today laid the foundation stone of the ambitious Rs 1.08 lakh crore high-speed bullet train project in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the day marks the beginning of a new chapter in India’s development. Here are the major takeaways from the Japanese Prime Minister’s speech today:
* Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe began his speech with ‘Namaskar’ and said the day marks the beginning of a new era of development for India with the bullet train project.
* Addressing the Prime Minister as a ‘dear friend’, Abe referred to Modi as a far sighted leader. He (Modi) made a decision of making a New India and chose Japan as partner, we completely support it, PM Abe said.
* Abe said that two years ago, Modi decided to embark on a project to bring the bullet train in India and he, along with his colleagues have vowed to support India in this endeavor.
* Abe said Japan is committed to the scheme of 'Make in India'. With India's human resources and Japan's technology, India can become a hub of manufacturing, Shinzo Abe said.
* Abe said Japan will also support India in its endeavors to ensure safety of the Indian railways network. He said over 100 engineers from Japan had already arrived in India for the bullet train project
* Abe said a powerful Japan is in the interest of India and a strong India for Japan. He said the 'Ja' of Japan and the 'I' of India together make 'JAI'. "Jai India, Jai Japan' is what we need to work towards.
* The Japanese Prime Minister said the bilateral relationship we share is more prospective than any other diplomatic relationships in the world
* India and Japan not only share a bilateral relationship. It is a strategic global partnership, Shinzo Abe said
* In a statement apparently aimed at China, Abe said that India and Japan are key partners in the Indian Ocean Region
* I hope to travel by the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train, next time I am here, Shinzo Abe said concluding his speech with a ‘Dhanyavaad’
