On November 21, 2025, Mr. OGAWA Kazunori, Senior Managing Director of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), participated in the Japan-India SME Forum as a speaker. The event was hosted by the Embassy of India, Tokyo, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). It aimed to encourage cooperation between mid-tier enterprises (MTEs) and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as outlined in the Japan-India Joint Vision for the Next Decade, adopted at the Japan-India summit meeting in August 2025.
At the forum, Ms. Nagma Mohamed Mallick, Ambassador-designate of India to Japan delivered the opening address. Key figures from Japanese and Indian political and business circles also participated, including Mr. INO Toshiro, State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Mr. Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, and Mr. ISHIGURO Norihiko, Chairman and CEO, JETRO. In addition, Japanese companies operating in India took the stage and gave presentations and speeches on promoting the entry of Japanese MTEs and SMEs into the Indian market.
In his presentation, Mr. OGAWA noted that India has ranked as the most promising investment destination for Japanese companies for three consecutive years. He mentioned that the Japan-India summit in August set an investment target of JPY10 trillion. He stated that JBIC plays a bridging role between Japanese companies and stakeholders in India, including private firms, public enterprises, and government institutions. JBIC provides financial support for Japanese companies entering the Indian market and for infrastructure development, mobilizing a total of JPY1.6 trillion across 42 projects since 2020.
He introduced specific support measures, such as the development of industrial corridors in collaboration with National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited, the Indian government agency. Other initiatives included business matching through industrial park visit tours for Japanese companies, as well as investment in the India-Japan Fund, which targets environmental sectors such as renewable energy and EVs. Furthermore, he expressed the intention to strengthen the bilateral partnership by enhancing support systems, including providing information and establishing a coordinated financing framework with Japanese regional financial institutions, in order to assist MTEs and SMEs in entering the Indian market.
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.
