Japan's prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, began three days of talks in India on Monday with a focus on improving relations and increasing trade between the two countries. Hatoyama, who took office in September, aims to establish a new role for east Asia in global diplomacy. Despite a decline in popularity, he is working towards strengthening ties with India, which has been ongoing since Japan imposed sanctions on India following its nuclear tests in 1998. Hatoyama started his visit by meeting with Indian business leaders in Mumbai, including Ratan Tata and Mukesh Ambani, at a hotel that was targeted by gunmen in 2008. Later, he was scheduled to hold discussions with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. India, a long-standing recipient of Japanese aid, is interested in learning more about Hatoyama's foreign policy, particularly Tokyo's efforts to establish a more independent foreign policy and strengthen ties with China, India's historical rival. New Delhi is keen on understanding India's role in Hatoyama's proposed East Asian community with a single currency, modeled after the European Union. Siddharth Varadarajan, a senior editor at The Hindu newspaper, noted that Hatoyama's approach differs from previous Japanese leaders, offering India and Japan an opportunity to enhance their bilateral relations in a more stable manner. This contrasts with New Delhi's previous view of Japan as a counterbalance to a growing China. Boosting trade is seen as a way to strengthen the partnership between India and Japan, which has been highlighted by their recent military cooperation and Japanese support for the U.S.-India civilian nuclear deal. According to India's foreign ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash, the two countries are currently in discussions to finalize a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with twelve rounds of talks already completed. Japan is currently India's sixth largest investor, and the goal is to increase bilateral trade from over $12 billion in 2008-09 to $20 billion by the following year. Hatoyama's discussions in India could also address climate change policies, as the two countries have differing views on expanding Japanese support for renewable energy projects in India. Additionally, talks will cover Japan's proposal to train former Taliban members as part of a $5 billion aid package for Afghanistan. India is cautious about involving the Taliban in Kabul's power structures. Hatoyama's administration aims to portray the visit as successful amidst growing domestic criticism. Recently, he approved a record trillion dollar budget, which will increase Japan's significant debt as the government grapples with economic challenges. Japanese voters are increasingly questioning Hatoyama's competence in making difficult foreign policy choices, and the recent arrest of two ex-aides has led to demands for further clarification on a scandal involving inaccuracies in political funding records.