NEW DELHI – Japan and India vowed to deepen their economic and security relations in an agreement that commits the countries to bilateral nuclear cooperation and the construction of a high-speed railway system during summit talks on Saturday, according to a joint statement.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, formed a nuclear cooperation agreement , enabling Japan to export to India technology and equipment related to nuclear power plants.
India has yet to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), making the agreement Japan’s first nuclear deal with a non-NPT member country. India conducted nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998 without joining the NPT.
During summit talks, Abe told Modi that Japan would suspend nuclear technological cooperation if India holds a nuclear test or reprocesses spent nuclear fuels with potential military applications. The pact essentially means Japan is acknowledging that India possesses nuclear weapons without joining the NPT.
“I expect India will act responsibly and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes,” Abe said during a press conference.
Modi said his country will uphold the terms of the Japan-India nuclear pact.
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