MoU between India and Japan

In News

Recently, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and Japan in the areas of Academic and Research Cooperation and Exchange.

Key Takeaways

• The pact was signed between the National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL) and the Department of Space and Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere (RISH), Kyoto University for academic and research cooperation and exchange in November 2020.
  • NARL and RISH have been collaborating in the area of atmospheric science and technology as well as the exchange of scientists.
    • This arrangement was formalised in 2008 through an MoU.

Significance

• This MoU shall enable NARL and RISH to continue their cooperation in areas of atmospheric science and technology, collaborative scientific experiments/campaigns and exchange of scientific materials, publications and information, joint research meetings.
• It lead to mutual utilization of facilities such as the Middle and Upper atmosphere (MU) radar in Shigaraki, Japan, the Equatorial Atmosphere Radar (EAR) in Kototabang, Indonesia and complementary instruments available from RISH, and the Mesosphere-Stratosphere-Troposphere (MST) radar and complementary instruments available at NARL.

India- Japan Relations

Diplomatic

• The friendship between India and Japan has a long history rooted in spiritual affinity and strong cultural and civilization ties dating back to the visit of Indian monk Bodhisena in 752 AD.
• India and Japan established diplomatic relations in 1952.
  • In the first decade after diplomatic ties were established, several high-level exchanges took place, including the Japanese Prime Minister’s visit to India in 1957.
• Japan was among the few countries that bailed India out of the balance of payment crisis in 1991.

• The Act East Forum, established in 2017, aims to provide a platform for India-Japan collaboration under the rubric of India’s “Act East Policy” and Japan’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Vision”.

Projects and Investments

• Recently, India and Japan signed four agreements under which Tokyo is to support health care projects funded under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects (GGP) scheme in India.
  • The “Grant Assistance for Grassroots Projects (GGP)” supports development projects “designed to meet the diverse basic human needs of the people in developing countries.
• Japan has invested ?1,600 crores in development projects across India’s northeastern states and is also working closely with India on infrastructure projects in third countries such as Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
• India and Japan also signed the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) last September for reciprocal provision of supplies and services between their defence forces.

Economic and Commercial relations

• Japan is regarded as a key partner in India’s economic transformation.
• Japan’s interest in India is increasing due to a variety of reasons including India’s large and growing market and its resources, especially the human resources.
• The bilateral trade between India and Japan for FY 2019-20 (April – December) totalled US$ 11.87 billion.
  • India’s exports from Japan amounted to US$ 3.94 billion while India’s import from Japan amounted to US$ 7.93 billion.
  • India’s primary exports to Japan have been petroleum products, chemicals, elements, compounds, non-metallic mineral ware, fish & fish preparations, metalliferous ores & scrap, clothing & accessories, iron & steel products, textile yarn, fabrics and machinery etc.
  • India’s primary imports from Japan are machinery, electrical machinery, iron and steel products, plastic materials, non-ferrous metals, parts of motor vehicles, organic chemicals, manufactures of metals, etc.

Defence

• India-Japan Defense and Security partnership has evolved over the years and forms an integral pillar of the bilateral ties.
• Our exchanges have strengthened due to growing convergence on strategic matters and its significance is growing from the common outlook on issues of peace, security and stability of the Indo-Pacific Region.
• During Prime Minister Singh’s visit to Japan in October 2008, two leaders issued “the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation between Japan and India”.
• There are also various frameworks of security and defence dialogue between Japan and India including the “2+2” meeting, annual Defense Ministerial Dialogue and Coast Guard-to-Coast Guard dialogue.

• India and Japan defence forces organize a series of bilateral exercises namely, JIMEX, SHINYUU Maitri, and Dharma Guardian. Both countries also participate in the Malabar exercise with the USA.

Science & Technology

• Bilateral S&T cooperation was formalized through an Inter-Governmental Agreement signed in 1985.
•  India-Japan Digital Partnership (IJDP) was launched during the visit of PM Modi to Japan in October 2018 furthering existing areas of cooperation as well as new initiatives within the scope of cooperation in S&T/ICT, focusing more on “Digital ICT Technologies”
• Recent initiatives include the establishment of three India-Japan Joint Laboratories in the area of ICT (AI, IoT and Big Data); Initiation of the DST-JSPS Fellowship Programme for the young researchers.

Healthcare

• India’s AYUSHMAN Bharat Programme and Japan’s ASHWIN, both sides had been consulting with each other to identify projects to build the narrative of AHWIN for AYUSHMAN Bharat.

Indian Community in Japan

• In recent years, there has been a change in the composition of the Indian community with the arrival of a large number of professionals, including IT professionals and engineers working for Indian and Japanese firms as well as professionals in management, finance, education, and S&T research.

 Quad alliance

• Both India and Japan have been expanding cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region bilaterally as well as under the framework of the Quad grouping.
  • Quad is an informal strategic dialogue between India, the USA, Japan and Australia with a shared objective to ensure and support a “free, open and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region.

Source :TOI