It is not often that a visiting head of government goes on a “road-show” in another country. But this is what is going to happen in Gujarat when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, accompanied by his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, will go on an 8-km-long “road-show” in Ahmedabad when he arrives here on Wednesday afternoon for a two-day visit.

Post the Doklam stand-off, India is leaving no stone unturned to welcome the first-world leader on a lavish scale. The signs of changing times are all there. In 1955, the Bandung Conference in Indonesia paved the way for a reclusive Communist China on to the world stage, with the efforts of the then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, resulting in the famous Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai slogan.

Six decades later, in September 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping was accorded a public reception in Gujarat, with Modi by his side, in what was the first such high-profile India visit by a Chinese head of government. This bonhomie did not result in peace and prosperity; within three years, a 73-day-long eyeball-to-eyeball standoff was witnessed at Doklam between the nations.

Indonesia is challenging China’s attempts to control South China Sea. Japan is also among the dozen-odd countries that have border-related issues with China. Clearly, the high-profile reception being accorded to the Japanese PM on Modi’s turf assumes diplomatic importance.

Ahmedabad is being decked up at breakneck speed, after the August downpour virtually crippled the infrastructure in Gujarat’s financial capital. Huge banners and posters of the two PMs have been put up in the State, which will go into Assembly polls before December 2017.

Abe will receive a guard of honour at the airport and a traditional Gujarati welcome. Later, accompanied by his wife Akei Abe and Modi, he will take the 8-km-long journey to the RTO Circle, with the entire route displaying the cultural heritage of 28 Indian States. A large statue of Buddha will greet the Japanese guests along the way. The two leaders will also pay a visit to the Sabarmati Ashram. After a brief stopover, Abe and Modi will also visit the famous Sidi Saiyyed’s Mosque in the Old City.

Stringent security arrangements have been made for the visit, with 12,000 policemen, accompanied by state-of-the-art security apparatus, pressed into service. Ahmedabad One mall will be closed to the public on September 13 and 14, when the dignitaries will stay there.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW