OBJECTIVES

A rock solid relationship structured over half-a-century forms the foundation of Indo-Japanese cooperation today. Japan and India have much in common, and our democratic institutions in particular, have provided an invaluable foundation to our bilateral relations over the years. The nineties witnessed a new level of economic engagement, which, thereafter was focused on trade, investment and technology transfer in a collaborative framework premised on complementarities.

This relationship was promoted to a higher level by Prime Minister Mori's visit to India in August 2000, when both states agreed to establish a "Global Partnership between India and Japan in the 21st century". The Japan-India Joint Declaration of December 10, 2001 has set the ball rolling for things to shape up in Indo-Japanese relationship in the 21st century. To raise the bilateral relationship to a "qualitatively new level" was the ultimate aim of the Joint Declaration.

With the two countries widely perceived to emerge as amongst the largest global economies by 2050, the logic of the deepening of this relationship is self evident. Hence, the Formation of the India-Japan Forum of Parliamentarians (IJFP)

The IJFP comprises prominent parliamentarians from across the political spectrum with a strong conviction regarding the future of India-Japan relations.

The IJFP will serve as a powerful group and provide a channel for constructive communication through Track II diplomacy. The Forum of Parliamentarians will also provide a platform for structured dialogue and consistent interaction between the Parliamentarians of the two countries. It will not only accentuate bilateral collaboration, but also initiate a partnership in dimensions that have scope for further cooperation or are relatively unexplored. More significantly, such inter-parliamentarian linkages will tighten the bonds between the lawmakers of India and Japan to further the common agenda of the two countries.