Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra
Modi on Monday met Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama in
Mumbai and discussed various issues including the Delhi-Mumbai
Industrial Corridor project, a large area of which passes
through Gujarat, government sources said here.
The meeting, which lasted about 40 minutes, was described
as "fruitful" by the officials of the Chief Minister`s office.
"The meeting will go a long way in strengthening
relationship between Japan and Gujarat. The discussions
focused on how to improve ties in the financial, industrial
and infrastructure sector," they said.
"The meeting will open up new vistas of partnership
in ship-building, solar energy and renewable energy
initiatives," they added.
Modi apprised the Japanese PM of the pledges of
investments to the tune of Rs 12 lakh crores made at the
recent Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors` Summit in which Japan
was a partner.
The Chief Minister thanked Hatoyama for Japan having
agreed to be the country partner of the summit.
The sources quoted the Japanese PM as having said that
the DMIC project will be a "core project for not only India
but for the global economy".
Modi told the Japanese Premier that as a large area of
the DMIC project corridor fell in Gujarat, which has a long
sea coast and ports, the state stood to greatly benefit from
it, officials said.
Modi also spoke about the ship-making industry with the
Japanese Prime Minister, saying that Gujarat government plans
to turn Alang in Bhavnagar --Asia`s biggest ship-breaking yard
-- into a hub for the ship-building industry.
Hatoyama informed Modi about advances made by Japan in
ship-building technology.
Modi also apprised the Japanese leader of steps taken by
his government in the field of solar energy, renewable
energy, green environment technology and geo-engineering to
fight global warming and climate change.
The Japanese leader assured Gujarat Chief Minister of his
country`s support to the state in these sectors.
To promote cultural bonding with the Asian economic
giant, Modi listed the efforts undertaken by the state
government for protecting Buddhist religious sites.
PTI
