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India–Japan Economic Ties Take Center Stage at the 2nd NIKKEI India–Japan Economy & Investment Forum in Bengaluru
- peeush srivastava
- Sep 29
- 2 min read
Bengaluru, 18 September 2025 – The 2nd NIKKEI India - Japan Economy & Investment Forum, held at the Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru, brought together leading policymakers, industry leaders, financiers, and investors to explore the future of bilateral cooperation in trade, technology, and sustainable growth. Organized by Nikkei Inc. and supported by JBIC (Japan Bank for International Cooperation) and other partners, the event has become one of the largest and most influential India-focused forums hosted by Nikkei.
A Platform for Stronger Collaboration
The discussions underscored the growing significance of India–Japan economic relations, with themes ranging from clean energy and digital transformation to supply chain resilience, SME growth, and sustainable infrastructure.
Keiichi Ono, Ambassador of Japan to India, highlighted the enormous potential of leveraging India’s world-class IT talent to complement Japanese strengths in advanced manufacturing and R&D. He emphasized that such partnerships can accelerate innovation, boost competitiveness, and deepen the trust underpinning the bilateral relationship.
Business leaders, including representatives from JBIC and major Japanese corporations, joined Indian industry leaders in calling for faster, deeper collaboration, echoing a shared vision for a resilient and sustainable regional economy.
India’s Growing Economic Power
With a population of 1.4 billion and a median age of just 28, India has now overtaken China as the world’s most populous nation. Its GDP is projected to surpass those of Japan and Germany, making it one of the most attractive destinations for global investors.
Japan has already committed 5 trillion yen in investments in India, signaling confidence in India’s economic trajectory. This partnership is not just about numbers but also about building trust-based, long-term strategic ties.
As Geetanjali Kirloskar noted in her reflections from the forum, India–Japan collaboration is a “powerful partnership in the region and for global good,” especially as the two countries celebrate 73 years of diplomatic relations in 2025.
Challenges and Opportunities
The forum also addressed pressing challenges that must be navigated to unlock India’s full potential:
Labor reforms to ensure flexibility and productivity in the workforce.
Strengthening SMEs, which form the backbone of both economies.
Accelerating clean energy adoption, aligning with global climate goals.
Leveraging demographic advantage through skills development and innovation.
These discussions made it clear that while opportunities abound, coordinated policy support and business innovation will be crucial to harness India’s growth story for mutual benefit.
Looking Ahead
The 2nd NIKKEI India–Japan Economy & Investment Forum reinforced that the future of this partnership lies in technology-driven growth, sustainable development, and deeper people-to-people ties. By marrying India’s scale and digital innovation with Japan’s technological expertise and financial resources, both countries are well positioned to shape the economic landscape of the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
As India and Japan look toward the next decade, the message from Bengaluru was clear: this is a partnership built not just on economics, but on shared values of trust, innovation, and global responsibility.
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