Japan Prime Minister Sinzo Abe on Wednesday kicked off his two-day visit to the home state, Gujarat, of his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, by holding a grand 8-km roadshow in an open-roof vehicle from the airport to Sabarmati Ashram. Mr. Modi accompanied Mr. Abe and his wife on the trip.
The Prime Minister took the guests on a tour of Mahatma Gandhi’s ashram for nearly 20 minutes, and showed them, among other Gandhi memorabilia, the spinning wheel at Hridaykunj.
Mr. Modi presented the couple with a copy of Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography and a statue of the famous three wise monkeys.
As they drove to the ashram, the two Prime Ministers and the First Lady waved to the crowds which lined the streets amid heavy security.
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and First Lady Akie Abe were accorded a warm welcome by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and around 35 Buddhist monks at the airport
This was the first time Mr. Modi went on a joint roadshow with the head of a country in his home state, which goes to the polls in two months.
Earlier on their arrival at the airport, Mr. Abe and the First Lady were accorded a warm welcome by Mr. Modi and more than 35 Buddhist monks.
Dance show
After the welcome, Mr. Abe was given a Guard of Honour, following which artists performed a folk dance, showcasing the cultural traditions of Gujarat and other States.
After a short break at Hotel Hyatt, the next destination for the visiting couple was the iconic Sidi Saiyyed Mosque, a Gujarat Sultanate era monument known for its intricate stone lattice works on its walls.
Heritage stop
For the first time, Mr. Modi too visited the landmark monument, which is often identified with Ahmedabad’s rich and diverse heritage, and pointed out the designs and architecture.
Subsequently, Mr. Modi hosted a dinner for the visitors with famed Gujarati thali and Japanese delicacies at Agashiye, a popular Gujarat restaurant in the House of MG, a heritage hotel opposite the mosque.
On Thursday, Mr. Modi and Mr. Abe will lay the foundation stone for the ambitious Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed train project to be built with nearly 80% funding from Japan.
Subsequently, they will attend the annual India-Japanese Business Summit at the Mahatma Mandir convention centre in Gandhinagar where over a dozen MoUs will be inked between Japanese firms and the Gujarat government.
High point
The External Affairs Ministry said on Monday that the high point of the visit was the joint inauguration of the high-speed rail project and bilateral security dialogue. “The two leaders will review the recent progress in the multifaceted cooperation between India and Japan under the framework of their ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’ and will set its future direction,” a press release issued by the Ministry said.
