Indo-Japan N-pact now operational

New Delhi: Eight months after it was inked, the Indo-Japan agreement on Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy has become operational from Thursday, the MEA has said. This marks a new chapter in Indo-Japanese “strategic partnership” and comes at a time when tensions between India and China are rising over Chinese military activities in the Doklam area in Bhutan. China has a maritime dispute with Japan and ties between Beijing and Tokyo are also rocky.

In a statement, the MEA said, “The India-Japan Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy entered into force on July 20, 2017 with the exchange of diplomatic notes between Dr S. Jaishankar, foreign secretary and Mr Kenji Hiramatsu, ambassador of Japan to India. The agreement was signed on November 11, 2016 in Tokyo during the visit of the Prime Minister to Japan.” It added, “This Agreement is a reflection of the strategic partnership between India and Japan and will pave the way for enhanced cooperation in energy security and clean energy. The agreement seeks to promote full cooperation between the two countries in the development and uses of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes on a stable, reliable and predictable basis.”