Tokyo: A day after he signed a clutch of deals with Japan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to roll out the red carpet to investors, played traditional Japanese drums with verve and happily lapped up the adulation of the local Indian community. Addressing a mostly Japanese crowd of around 2,000 at a meeting organised by the Japanese External Trade Organisation and Nikkei, Modi reiterated a promise to potential investors that they would be greeted with “a red carpet, not red tape”, when they came to India — a policy he had first spelt out as the chief minister of Gujarat five years ago. “India is the only country where investors can find three opportunities in one place: democracy, demography and demand,” he said. “If you want to look outside Japan, there is no need to look here and there... perhaps there is no country more suitable to you than India,” he said, describing India as a God-gifted location, ideal for exporting to west Asia and beyond.

Modi's skills as a drummer were today on full display here as he joined the Japanese percussionists to perform a 'jugalbandi' with them. The 63-year-old leader gave tough competition to the professional drummers as he tried his hand on the drum at an event to launch TCS Japan Technology and Cultural Academy here. He first watched the male and female drummers perform and seemingly was enjoying. Then he moved forward and started beating the drums quite well, much to the amusement of the gathering. On the occasion, he invited Japanese people to visit and explore India and spread the word about their experience. "Don't confine yourself to hotels, go out and spend and become our ambassadors," he told the gathering. Pitching for upgradation of knowledge skills, he said having knowledge will be more powerful than those having weapons in the 21st century. "In the 21st century, those having knowledge will be more powerful than those having weapons," he said.