India, Japan to set up working group to boost bilateral trade

NEW DELHI: The governments in India and Japan have agreed to set up a joint working group for boosting bilateral trade in the field of information and communication technology.

The proposal was put forward by Telecom and IT Minister Kapil Sibal who is on his four-day visit to Japan to attract investments in the Indian ICT sector.

"Joint Working Group between METI ( Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry) Japan and DEITY (Department of Electronics and Information Technology) to be set up. The JWG will submit their report within three months," an official statement presenting outline of Sibal's speech said.

The ministry in India shall set up a Japan desk focussed on Industrial and bilateral relations between Japan and India in the areas of ICT, it added.

This desk will facilitate the collaboration, coordination and linking activities between Indian and Japanese companies and establishments.

Both Ministries will appoint nodal persons to facilitate functioning of JWG and these officers will interact on a monthly basis through video chat.

Concerned ministers of India and Japan have agreed to meet annually for sorting out bilateral issues and for taking stock of the situation.

Both the countries have agreed to set up joint research and development initiative to identify and solve societal problems.

During his visit, Sibal met Japan's Minister of Economy Trade and Industry Toshimitsu Motegi, JETRO Chairman Hiroyuki Ishige, NTT Docomo President and CEO Kaoru Kato, Hitachi Chairman Takashi Kawamura and NEC President Nobuhiro Endo.

The minister is scheduled to meet Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Yoshitaka Shindo and Chairman of Kyocera Corp Makoto Kawamura.