India-Japan to lead Asian economic growth

Ushering in a new era of bilateral ties, India and Japan are synergising their energies towards socio-economic development - not within their own territories, but in Asia and across the world. On August 1, 2011, India and Japan executed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), aiming to provide greater access to each other's markets and almost double the bilateral trade from 12.6 billion USD to 25 billion USD by 2014. The agreement came into existence when both countries signed the CEPA on February 16 in Tokyo and exchanged diplomatic notes on June 30. The Indian business fraternity believes the deal would allow India to use Japanese investments, technology and management practices more effectively and efficiently.