Japan PM Shinzo Abe Gujarat visit live updates: PM Modi to receive him at airport

Security arrangements at Hotel Agashiya where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have a dinner with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Wednesday. (Source: Express photo by Javed Raja)

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will reach India on Wednesday to attend the 12th edition of the India-Japan annual summit meeting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that Ahmedabad is all set to welcome the PM of Japan. The two leaders will be meeting for the fourth time. Abe is in India on a two-day visit.

The India-Japan annual summit meeting will be held in Gandhinagar on Thursday. Modi and Abe are likely to review the progress in the multifaceted co-operation between India and Japan under the framework of their ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’.

Japan PM Shinzo Abe Gujarat visit live updates:

3.15 pm: PM Modi has arrived in Ahmedabad. He is expected to shortly receive Shinzo Abe at the airport.

Gujarat: PM Narendra Modi arrives in Ahmedabad; will be receiving Japanese PM Shinzo Abe shortly. pic.twitter.com/fTPP5hKBs1

— ANI (@ANI) September 13, 2017

3.00 pm: Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s Office of Japan has put out a video on its YouTube of the high-speed rail network which is set to reduce the travel time between Ahmedabad and Mumbai from 8 hours to 2 hours.

2.36 pm:  On the subject of India and Japan strengthening their strategic partnership, this what the experts are saying.

“Neither India nor Japan are shy of the strategic connotation in their expanding partnership which signifies great comfort and trust in the relationship. China’s expansion… has caused much concern and discomfort in Delhi… Japan on the other hand has a policy on ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy’ with India at its centre,” Darshana M Baruah, research analyst at Carnegie India told The Indian Express correspondent has to say.

Final preparations on at famous Sidi Saeed Mosque in old Ahmedabad city to be visited by Prime Ministers of India and Japan. @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/a1mm0j4ebf

— parimal dabhi (@parimaldabhi) September 13, 2017

2.00 pm: On Thursday, the two Prime Ministers will attend a function to mark the commencement of work of India’s first high-speed rail project. The train is expected to drastically reduce the travel time between Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

Modi and Abe are also scheduled to visit Sabarmati Ashram. (Express photo by Javed Raja)

Giant cut out of PM Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Ahmedabad for #IndiaJapanAnnualSummit @IndianExpress @lynnmis pic.twitter.com/gTVBYWN71f

— satish jha. (@satishjha) September 13, 2017

1.30 pm: “The roadshow, airport reception, dinner at a roof-top restaurant, and post-dinner walk — they will all send out pictures of warmth between the two leaders. Optics apart, it will give the two leaders ample time to engage with each other for almost eight hours on the first day of the visit,” a top source involved in the arrangements told The Indian Express. Read more here.

1.00 pm: An India-Japan Business Plenary will be held, ANI reported. Modi and Abe are also scheduled to visit Sabarmati Ashram. They will also visit the Sidi Saiyyid Ni Jaali – a famous 16th century mosque in Ahmedabad. The two leaders are also slated to visit Dandi Kutir, the museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, at the Mahatma Mandir.

Municipal school students decked up in Japanese attire awaiting to welcome Japanese PM Shinzo Abe in Ahmedabad @IndianExpress @lynnmis pic.twitter.com/LLbammOpSf

— Ritu Sharma (@2ritusharma) September 13, 2017

12.30 pm: Here’s some trivia. Exactly three years ago, Shinzo Abe had flown down to Kyototo welcome PM Narendra Modi in his first bilateral visit outside India’s immediate neighbourhood within four months of assuming office.

12.15 pm: Sources told The Indian Express that PM Modi is likely to go to the airport to receive Abe, which is a departure from protocol he has made only for a handful of leaders, including US President Barack Obama.

Houses, shops & a temple gets barricaded on route taken by Japanese arriving for #IndiaJapanAnnualSummit in Ahmedabad @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/jwo9NWSmZI

— Avinash Nair (@Avinashgnair) September 13, 2017

12.00 pm: The road from the airport to the city has been dotted with hoardings with photos of Abe and Modi, as well as cutouts, declaring “a strong synergy for peace and prosperity”, “welcome to the only home of Asiatic lions”, “New India, bright future”, and of course, “Welcome to India, welcome to Gujarat” — in Japanese Hiragana script.