Karnataka is inviting Japanese companies to strengthen their manufacturing and technology partnerships with the state, offering its skilled talent pool, industrial infrastructure and policy support to help businesses scale operations and build globally competitive supply chains.
Delivering the keynote address at the fourth edition of the India-Japan Business Summit 2026, organised by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) in association with Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, Dr S. Selvakumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Commerce and Industries, Government of Karnataka, called on Japanese businesses to look at Karnataka as a long-term partner for manufacturing, innovation and global expansion.
Dr. Selvakumar further said, “Bring your technology and we will give you the talent, the land and the partnership to build it at its scale. The State has established a strong position in electronics, aerospace and defence, software exports and machine-tool manufacturing. Karnataka accounts for 40% of India’s electronic design activity, 65% of its aerospace and defence manufacturing, 40% of software exports and 52% of machine-tool manufacturing. The state is also home to more than 100 chip-design houses and over 800 research and development centres.
He highlighted the state’s skilled workforce, established industrial ecosystem and dedicated incentive packages for electronics manufacturing. These include support for plant, machinery and land, turnover-linked incentives and power tariff subsidies. The government is also working to expand industrial opportunities beyond Bengaluru, supported by a digital single-window system covering more than 30 departments.
Dr. Selvakumar emphasised that Karnataka’s approach was not limited to attracting investments but focused on building long-term partnerships that translate into manufacturing facilities, exports, employment and technology development.
CA K. Ravi, President, BCIC, highlighted the chamber’s efforts to strengthen India-Japan business engagement. He said BCIC’s Tokyo presence, established in 2022, has helped create a sustained channel for connecting Indian businesses with Japanese companies and institutions. Mr. Ravi said, “Through the SMRJ-BCIC Startup Portal, we aim to connect more than 1,000 Indian MSMEs with Japanese companies, investors and technology partners, opening up opportunities for technology partnerships, joint ventures, investments, market access and business collaborations. This initiative reflects our commitment to creating meaningful business linkages and expanding opportunities for Indian enterprises in Japan and beyond. Our aspiration is to make BCIC not merely a chamber of commerce, but a bridge of opportunity connecting Karnataka, India and Japan with the world.”
*Strengthening India-Japan Business Connect*
H.E. Mr Hiroshi Nawata, Consul General of Japan in Bengaluru, said Karnataka was home to more than 200 Japanese companies and over 500 Japanese establishments, reflecting the depth of the economic relationship between the two sides.
While highlighting the strong partnership between Karnataka and Japan, Mr. Hiroshi, said, “Bengaluru’s strengths in information technology, artificial intelligence, research and innovation complement Japan’s expertise in engineering, manufacturing, robotics and industrial excellence. The opportunity before us is to bring these strengths together, not merely to increase trade, but to create new technologies, generate employment and build globally competitive businesses.” He also acknowledged BCIC’s efforts to strengthen institutional engagement between the two countries, including the establishment of its Japan Desk in Tokyo and its engagement with Osaka. He called for deeper cooperation in innovation, industrial development and shared prosperity. He noted that BCIC is the only industrial body in India to have established an office in Japan, reflecting its commitment to strengthening institutional and business ties between the two countries.”
*Building a Japan-Ready Talent Pool*
As part of the summit, BCIC signed memoranda of understanding with HKBK College, Garden City College and Jain College to provide Japanese language training to engineering students. The initiative aims to equip students with language skills that can improve their career prospects in Japan and with Japanese companies operating in Bengaluru.
The summit also featured a panel discussion titled ‘The Japan Way: Driving Excellence in Indian Manufacturing through Adoption of Japanese Practices.’ The discussion was moderated by Mr T R Parasuraman, Past President, BCIC. The panellists were Mr Hiroyuki Ishida, Founder and Managing Director, Mosaique Pvt Ltd; Mr Ketan Chandrana, CEO, Synergy Global; Mr Tabreez Ahmed, Managing Director, Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts and Mr C P Rangachar, Managing Director, Yuken India.
Held under the theme, ‘Make in India with Japan, for the Globe,’ the fourth edition of the summit brought together industry leaders and representatives from India and Japan to explore opportunities for collaboration in manufacturing, technology, investment and talent development.
The summit concluded with Presentations on Strengthening India-Japan Ties by the following speakers: Mr. Kalyan Kumar, Partner, Grant Thornton Bharat; Mr. Katsuhei Shirasuna, Director, Japan Services Group in India, Grant Thornton Bharat, Mr. Koichi Hirata, Fellow, Next Bharat Ventures, Mr. Deepak Anand, Associate Director, JCSS Consulting Pvt Ltd and Advisor-SMRJ, Japan, Mr. Rakshit Bajpai, AVP - Forex & Derivative Sales, Mr. Thippeshappa B C, Managing Director, Gostol TST India Pvt Ltd.
Photo caption: Dr. Selvakumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Commerce and Industries Dept, Govt of Karnataka (5th from left) inaugurating the 4th Edition of the India-Japan Business Summit with CA K Ravi, President, Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) (4th from left), H.E Mr. Hiroshi Nawata, Consul General of Japan in Bengaluru (4th from right), and Mr. Hirotsugu Ueda, Vice Governor, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan (2nd from left), organized by BCIC in Bengaluru, today.
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