Modi’s Japan visit holds promise amid Trump tariffs

PRIME Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan offers India an opportunity to forge closer ties with a tried-and-tested ally. New Delhi badly needs the support of such friends at a time when it has been saddled with hefty tariffs by US President Donald Trump. Modi will meet his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba days after he flagged off consignments of Maruti Suzuki’s first electric vehicle from Gujarat’s Hansalpur to over 100 countries. The PM was not off the mark when he said that India and Japan are “made for each other”, even as Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corporation has made a commitment to invest over Rs 70,000 crore in the country in the next five to six years. The government’s flagship ‘Make in India’ initiative can gain momentum with greater Japanese investments in high-value manufacturing.