New Delhi, Oct. 29: India has a “very strong partnership” with Japan, and bilateral projects involving the northeastern States will be “further strengthened”, Randhir Jaiswal, official spokesperson of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said on Wednesday. The comments came hours after Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi agreed to “enhance connectivity in the region”, and signed agreements that will pave the way for additional Japanese assistance to Bangladesh’s Matarbari deep sea port, which will connect with northeast India.

“We have very strong partnership with Japan. We also have several initiatives involving northeast [India] and Japan, and we would like to further strengthen these linkages,” Jaiswal said. The Japanese language was being taught to the working population in the northeastern States as part of these initiatives, he added.

“It will also give a boost to the Japan-India economic partnership here in India as well,” Jaiswal said. Northeastern States were also receiving assistance from Japan as part of that larger bilateral framework, he said.

Japan and Bangladesh have signed multiple agreements during Rahman’s ongoing visit to Tokyo, which includes further development of the industrial hub centred around the Matarbari deep sea port. Rahman met Takaichi and representatives of leading business houses during the visit.

Sources from Japan maintain they envisage the linking of the Matarbari port with India’s northeast to ensure optimal usage of the industrial hub and the first deep sea port in Bangladesh, which currently depends on ports in Malaysia and Singapore for handling big vessels.

A joint statement issued during Rahman’s visit has included the agreement on the Matarbari port under the “connectivity” section, and highlights Japan’s intention to intensify work on the port. “To sustain rapid economic growth, the two Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to steadily advance cooperation aimed at further strengthening connectivity in the region,” the joint statement said, adding, “Based on the ’BIG-B (Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt) for Shared Prosperity’, they concurred on working together to develop the Matarbari-Maheshkhali area as a major hub for logistics, energy and industry, centred at the Matarbari Deep Sea Port.”-Agencies