India Parliamentarians Visit Japan - Discuss Trade, Politics
David Tharp
The Nippon Foundation
The Nippon Foundation
Indepth Articles
[Feb. 14, 2008]
Indian MPs at The Nippon Foundation
A delegation of Indian members of parliament (MPs) recently made a fact-finding trip to Japan to meet with their Japanese Diet counterparts, and directly evaluate for themselves how India and Japan can continue to improve their friendly cooperation in the political and economic arenas. This delegation's visit was made possible with the support of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and the Nippon Foundation.
The members of the delegation were Mr. Omar Abdullah, leader of the delegation and MP of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference; Mr. Rahul Gandhi, MP of the Indian National Congress (INC) Party; Mrs. Prema Cariappa, MP of INC, Mr. Sachin Pilot MP of INC, Mr. Madhu Goud Yaskhi, MP of INC; and Mr. Vikram Badshah, head of public policy for the Confederation of Indian Industry, and coordinator of the trip.
Key points raised during the delegation's visit were the developing "westward facing" stance of Japanese businesses that are looking beyond trade with China and East Asia toward developing more economic collaboration with India in the future, and how India and Japan can cooperate to gain permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council.
In connection with the trade issue, an important question was raised at a meeting between the MPs and Nippon Foundation Chairman Yohei Sasakawa about how India could play a role in supporting the continued safety and security of the Malacca Straits, a strategic shipping route for trade between eastern and western Asia. Mr. Abdullah responded by saying any instability in the Straits area affects India directly, and agreed that dialogue between India and Japan was necessary on this issue.
Regarding permanent seats for India and Japan on the UN Security Council, the Indian MPs said the council's present composition reflects the world of 60 years ago, and that it needs to be updated to reflect the realities of the 21st century. If Japan and India are eventually offered permanent seats, they should be positions with voting equality with the other members of the council, including veto powers, said Mr. Abdullah.
At the round table meeting at The Nippon Foundation, one foundation representative asked the MPs about what steps could be taken in India to overcome the discrimination of Indian businesses against hiring people who had been cured of leprosy. Mr. Gandhi replied that it was not enough to simply target discrimination against former sufferers of leprosy, but that it was necessary to eliminate all discrimination--such as the reluctance to hire people with HIV as well.
He raised the example of how Brazil included in its constitution a provision that any discrimination against anyone for any reason is illegal. He suggested the Brazilian example as a way forward for all countries, including India and Japan, which could make it illegal to practice any form of discrimination in their respective societies.