PM seeks Japanese support for India's nuclear needs

Seeking a new partnership with Japan, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday pressed for its support to put in place 'innovative and forward-looking' approaches of the international community to meet India's growing nuclear energy needs.

Addressing the Japanese Parliament -- Diet --, Dr Singh advocated a strong push for economic ties saying they must be the bedrock of Indo-Japan relationship.

"Like Japan, India sees nuclear power as a viable and clean energy source to meet its growing energy needs. We seek Japan's support in helping put in place innovative and forward looking approaches of the international community to make this possible," he told the members of the joint session of the House of Representatives and House of Councillors.

New Delhi is looking for the support of Japan, an influential member of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, to back changes in its guidelines to allow international nuclear cooperation with India.

In his speech, the prime minister, who is on a four-day visit to Japan, touched on terrorism, UN reforms and the need to enhance bilateral defence and economic cooperation.

Describing terrorism as a common threat to peace and harmony in open societies, he said, "It is a complex problem that has many faces, many causes and respects no geographical barriers. We cannot prevail in the fight against terrorism unless we work together."

Referring to joint efforts by India and Japan to revitalise and reform the UN including the Security Council to make them more relevant, Dr Singh said, "Both of us have a vital stake in the enhanced effectiveness of the UN and its various organs."

The two countries must intensify their cooperation for an 'orderly and equitable management of the inter-dependence of nations in an increasingly globalised world we live in', he said.

Besides energy security, both countries have an equal stake in promoting defence cooperation, including for protection of sea-lanes to secure trade and energy flows, Dr Singh said.

In the field of science and technology, the prime minister said there was need to accelerate the pace of cooperation in future growth sector such as nano-technologoy, bio-technology, life sciences and information and communication technologies.

"We must exploit synergies in the development of India software and Japanese hardware," he said.

Observing that the idea of a 'new partnership' between India and Japan has 'found its moment today', Dr Singh said he was truly inspired by Japan's progress each time he visited this country.

Recalling his first visit to Japan in 1992 as finance minister, Dr Singh said he had then come to express gratitude for Tokyo's help in dealing with an unprecendented economic crisis in 1991.

"Today, I return to Japan as the prime minister of a new India," Dr Singh said noting that the Indian economy in the past 15 years has registered an average growth rate of over six percent per annum. In recent years, it has accelerated to over eight percent.