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India & Japan - Agreements on the North-East

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September 16, 2017

Why in news?

  • A memorandum of understanding to set up India Japan Act East Forum is one of the outcomes of the recent 12th Indo-Japan annual summit.
  • Other major agreements focussing the north-eastern region were  also signed during Japanese PM's visit to India.

 What are the highlights?

  • Forum - The forum aims at bringing together India’s Act East Policy and Japan’s Free and Open Asia-Pacific strategy.
  • This is expected to bring connectivity and promote developmental projects in India’s Northeast region.
  • Loan - India and Japan also signed a document on Japanese loan and aid for highway development in the Northeast.
  • Japan will extend a loan of Rs 2,239 crore to India for ‘North East Road Network Connectivity Improvement Project’.
  • This will complement India's other connectivity projects in the region including BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal) and BIMSTEC Motor Vehicle Agreements.
  • The connectivity initiatives are also part of the Indo-Japan corridor conceived earlier for the Indo-Pacific region.
  • The corridor also extends to Eastern Africa under the Asia Africa Growth Corridor.

What is the significance?

  • Development of the Northeast is a priority for India and a key to promote its Act East Policy.
  • In this context, the agreements come as a contribution to intra-regional and international connectivity in the Northeast region.
  • Significantly, it is viewed as an alternative to the Chinese dominated One Belt One Road (OBOR).
  • Besides, Japan has a great potential for people-to-people and cultural exchanges between Japan and the Northeast.
  • This comes in the backdrop of Japan's historic connection to the Northeast through the Battle of Imphal (fought between Japanese Army and the British during World War II).

 

Source: Economic Times

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