India and Japan ink a landmark security pact

Tokyo, Oct 22 : India and Japan inked a landmark security pact today and pledged to bolster economic cooperation.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh wooed Japanese investors by saying that the "sky is the limit."

Dr. Singh and his Japanese counterpart Taro Aso inked the Joint Declaration on enhanced security cooperation between the two countries saying their ties were rooted in their similar perceptions of the evolving environment in the region and the world at large.

At a joint press conference with Aso, Singh made it clear that Indo-Japan economic partnership and security cooperation "are not at the cost of any third country, least of all China."

Aso also tried to downplay the 'China factor', saying "we do not have any assumptions as targeting a third country, including China."

Notwithstanding the NSG waiver for New Delhi, the Japanese leadership appeared non-committal on civil nuclear cooperation with India even as the two countries agreed that atomic power could play an important role as a sustainable and non-polluting source of energy in meeting the growing global demands.

The two sides "shared the view that nuclear energy can play an important role as a safe, sustainable and non-polluting source of energy in meeting the rising global energy demands," a joint statement issued at the end of the Singh-Aso talks said.

Tokyo gave its nod for a 450 billion yen (4.5 billion dollar) loan for a major 1468 km-long freight corridor between New Delhi and Mumbai.

ANI