India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (R) shakes hands with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe during Abe's ceremonial reception at the presidential palace in New Delhi Aug. 22, 2007.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    NEW DELHI, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called on Wednesday for closer ties with India in defense, security and trade to create an "arc of freedom and prosperity" and a "broader Asia" partnership in the region.

    In his speech titled "confluence of the two seas," Abe told Indian parliament that "the strategic global partnership of Japan and India is pivotal for such pursuits to be successful."

    "The Pacific and the Indian Oceans are now bringing about a dynamic coupling of seas of freedom and of prosperity. A broader Asia that broke away geographical boundaries is now beginning to take on a distinct form," Abe said.

    "By Japan and India coming together in this way, this 'broader Asia' will evolve into an immense network spanning the entirety of the Pacific Ocean, incorporating the U.S. and Australia," he added.

    The Japanese leader, however, made no mention of China in his call for "broader Asia" partnership.

    In his address, the first by a foreign leader to the Indian parliament in seven years, he said bilateral trade was expected to be more than double in the next three years.

    "The amount of trade between our countries will be increasing dramatically in the near future.," he said. "It would be no mistake to say that in only the next three years, we can expect itto reach about 20 billion U.S. dollars."

    He also called for rapid completion of a free-trade agreement with India as he pledged participation in a 90 billion U.S.-dollar industrial corridor project between New Delhi and India's financial center Mumbai.

    In December last year, India and Japan signed a strategic global partnership agreement for cooperation in the development of one or two sea ports on the west coast and industrial complexes.

    Japan will also consider funding a freight corridor linking the eastern city of Kolkata with New Delhi and Mumbai, Abe said. "This is a project of tremendous significance and Japan is actively considering means for financial assistance."

    Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath told business leaders from the two countries separately that New Delhi expected to complete the "comprehensive economic treaty" with Tokyo, aimed at a free-trade accord.

    Nath said India wants to attract 5 billion U.S. dollars in investment from Japan.

    Abe arrived in India Tuesday with over 200 executives from companies such as Toyota, Canon and Hitachi. At present, trade between India and Japan stands at nearly 7 billion U.S. dollars.