Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the midst of courting Japanese companies, for which he has promised "red carpet" treatment instead of "red tape", the red ribbon used in the Anglo-Saxon world to indicate the lethal grip of the vice bureaucratic. Addressing Japanese business leaders during his five-day visit to the Empire of the Sun, Modi said India is the best possible destination for Japanese investors. It is a growing country – even faster than expected – and its huge market offers three magical “ds” for economic development: democracy, demography and demand.
His words proved convincing and the Indian prime minister is preparing to return home with a large package of investment projects worth several billion dollars. On multiple occasions, Modi has deftly dodged tricky questions about China's growing role as India's trading partner, instead emphasizing how closely India and Japan are brought together. “Our countries both have a democratic system” he said “and it is easier for us to work together and move in the same direction”.
The cordial relations between Modi and Abe, moreover, are long-standing and the Indian prime minister is making the most of them to obtain concrete support from Japan to fight the poverty that still afflicts India and accelerate its modernization process. The two countries – someone pointed out – have characteristics that place them at opposite poles: India has chaotic cities, an emerging economy and a young population, while Japan has immaculate cities, an aging population and a mature economy. But Modi didn't get upset and promptly replied that opposites complement each other.
