Goyal To Visit Japan With 200-Member Biz Delegation: What's On The Agenda

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will visit Japan from August 24-27 with a more than 200-member business delegation, the largest India has taken to the country, to explore ways to expand bilateral trade and investment.

The four-day visit will cover Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, the Commerce Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

The visit comes as India seeks greater Japanese investment and a more balanced trading relationship. Japan has set an investment target of ¥10 trillion, or about ₹60,000 crore, in India over a decade.

What's On The Agenda?

In Tokyo, Goyal is scheduled to meet senior executives of Japanese conglomerates and participate in a round-table with Keidanren, which represents more than 1,500 Japanese companies, the Commerce Ministry said.

Discussions will also cover semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI), start-ups and foreign institutional investors.

According to Ficci Director General Jyoti Vij, talks with the Japan External Trade Organization, Japanese business groups and investors will focus on opportunities for Japanese companies in India and facilitating greater two-way investment.

"The programme includes engagements with organisations and companies working in digital innovation, industrial transformation, advanced manufacturing, AI, semiconductors and electronics," she said, as per PTI.

Sectoral Push And CEPA Review

The delegation will also discuss cooperation in capital goods, machinery, automotive and advanced manufacturing.

Opportunities in manufacturing, technology, electronics, clean energy, healthcare, financial services and start-ups is also expected to be deliberated, as per PTI.

In Nagoya, Goyal will engage with manufacturing investors in the automotive and steel sectors, while Osaka will host an investors and business roadshow focused on electronics, industrial and consumer companies, the Commerce Ministry said.

The visit also comes as India and Japan review their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA.

The India-Japan bilateral trade rose 9.18% to $27.47 billion in FY26 from $25.16 billion in FY25. However, India's trade deficit with Japan widened to $15.4 billion from $12.66 billion, highlighting the need to address the imbalance.

India wants a more balanced trade relationship amid the widening deficit, while domestic steel producers have raised concerns over imports from Japan.

Japanese companies, meanwhile, have flagged issues related to India's quality control orders.

Japan is India's fifth-largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI), with cumulative inflows of $48.14 billion between April 2000 and March 2026, accounting for 6% of India's total FDI during the period, as per PTI.