The ties between the two countries are historical and diverse - and, for most part, undervalued. But, now, they are getting forward-looking. Historically, India's close ties with the Soviet Union put some amount of brakes in evolving Japanese-India ties that had evolved over centuries. The 'Look East Policy' developed by Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao and then taken forward by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee led to a real engagement with Japan.