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Japan seeks strong ties with India in ICT

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CIOL Bureau
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BANGALORE, INDIA: Japan's Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Kazuhiro Haraguchi said both India and Japan should use ICT tools for building Japan-India advantage.

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While addressing a function organized by CII here on Thursday, Haraguchi said that within 100 days of new government formation in Japan, Japanese Prime Minister and two cabinet ministers including him have visited India and this confirms their interest in closely working with India.

“Japan has the largest fibre network and is trying to use ICT to its full advantage for human, social and economic development and would like to work in cooperation with India for bringing ICT's contribution to society,” he said.

“India is a young country with average age of 25 years with huge growth potential. Investments from Japan to India in last two years have increased two-folds,” Haraguchi added.

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Satya N Gupta, member, CII national committee on Telecom & Broadband and chief regulatory advisor, BT Global Services, SAARC region welcomed Japanese Telecom delegation and congratulated on their signing of MoU with Telecom Regulatory Authority of India for technical and institutional cooperation in the field of telecommunications.

Gupta said, “What India has achieved in mobile penetration, Japan has achieved in Broadband penetration and India is keen to receive cooperation in the area of broadband for rural reach.”

Haraguchi opined that energy was one restricting factor for Indian telecom growth and Japan would like to cooperate in the area for providing smart grid and would like to help change the energy landscape in India.

Earlier, during a meeting with New and Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah the Japanese minister had signed an agreement to develop a 'solar city' in India and also strengthen their cooperation in Research and Development for promoting renewable energy.

The 'solar city' will be developed under a project to develop 34 such cities across the country, which has been given in-principle approval by the government, they added.

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