On February 21, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) participated in the NIKKEI India-Japan Economy & Investment Forum as a special partner. The event was held by Nikkei Inc. for the first time in New Delhi, with the assistance of the Association for Overseas Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Partnerships (AOTS). Its objectives included promoting economic development in both India and Japan and enhancing mutual exchange.
At the outset of the forum, a video message from Mr. SUGA Yoshihide, former Prime Minister of Japan and Chairman of the Japan-India Association, was presented. Following this, the forum featured presentations and discussions on topics such as infrastructure development, consumer markets, the Make in India initiative, and startups. Speakers included key figures from India’s political, business, and academic sectors, such as Minister of Commerce and Industry Goyal (who participated online) and Deputy Minister of Road Transport and Highways Malhotra. Executives and experts from leading Japanese companies with a strong presence in the Indian market, including Unicharm Corporation, also took part.
On behalf of JBIC, Mr. KURIHARA Toshihiko, Chief Representative of the JBIC Representative Office in New Delhi, gave a corporate presentation. In addition, a video introducing JBIC’s mission and hydrogen-related initiatives was presented during the networking session.
In his presentation, Mr. KURIHARA mentioned JBIC’s contribution to the JPY5 trillion investment goal set by the government of Japan. He stated that the semiconductor and hydrogen sectors are key to realizing the Indian government's “Self-Reliant India” policy and that JBIC is ready to actively support these efforts. Specifically, he introduced JBIC's multifaceted support for Japanese semiconductor-related companies entering the Indian market and establishing a semiconductor ecosystem in India. As a shareholder with a 26% stake in the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC), JBIC is organizing networking meetings and a site visit tour of the Dholera Special Investment Region in Gujarat State, which the Indian government is prioritizing as a key hub for high-tech industry development. He also mentioned that in the hydrogen sector, JBIC aims to provide comprehensive support across the entire supply chain, from upstream to downstream, by assisting the Indian government in achieving its energy independence policy and facilitating energy exports to third countries, including Japan.
Additionally, Mr. KURIHARA introduced initiatives in which JBIC serves as a bridge between business and government. These include the establishment of the India-Japan Fund, which was founded with contributions from JBIC and the Indian government to deepen bilateral relations by fostering collaboration between Japanese and Indian companies, as well as the co-hosting of Raisina Tokyo* with the Indian think tank Observer Research Foundation and Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives). He said that JBIC is prepared to support a wide range of business opportunities.
As Japan’s policy-based financial institution, JBIC will continue to actively support the overseas expansion of Japanese companies and the improvement of investment environments by leveraging its relationships with governments, government agencies, and local think tanks in host countries.
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Raisina Tokyo is the Tokyo edition of the “Raisina Dialogue,” an international conference organized by ORF, India’s largest think tank, which has been held nine times in India. The event brings together heads of state, cabinet ministers, and private sector leaders to discuss issues related to economic security.