PM Modi Announces Japan Business Week, Calls Japanese Counterpart Takaichi ‘My Younger Sister’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) will organise a dedicated Japan Business Week to further improve the ease of doing business in India, while highlighting the country’s emergence as a global manufacturing and export hub for the automobile sector.

The announcement came during the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum, where PM Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi jointly inaugurated Maruti Suzuki’s fourth vehicle manufacturing facility in Kharkhoda, Haryana.

Addressing business leaders, PM Modi said India has undertaken next-generation reforms in taxation, governance and ease of doing business, while opening more sectors to private investment and offering incentives to industry.

“Recently, we introduced next-generation reforms in taxation, governance and ease of doing business. We are opening every sector to private participation, and in many areas we are providing incentives. This is why, for the last four consecutive years, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation’s survey has ranked India as the most promising destination for Japanese businesses,” he said.

#WATCH | Delhi: At the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum, PM Narendra Modi says, “Just a few months back, we did next generation reforms for taxation, governance and ease of doing business. We are opening every field for private sector and in several important sectors we are… pic.twitter.com/0mIMlAXtD1

— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2026

Announcing the new initiative, the Prime Minister said senior PMO officials would engage directly with Japanese businesses during Japan Business Week to understand their concerns and identify ways to further improve the investment climate.

Highlighting the growing India-Japan economic partnership, Modi noted that several Japanese companies have maintained a presence in India for decades, with some operating in the country for more than a century.

PM Modi Refers To Maruti Suzuki Plant, Yamaha, Honda

Referring to the newly inaugurated Maruti Suzuki plant, he said two-thirds of Suzuki’s global vehicle production now takes place in India, with exports reaching over 100 countries. He also pointed to motorcycles manufactured in India by Yamaha, Kawasaki and Honda that are exported worldwide, describing them as examples of the strength of bilateral industrial cooperation.

“When Japan’s expertise and investment combine with India’s speed and scale, the entire world benefits,” Modi said, adding that the partnership extends to sectors such as air conditioners, power equipment, precision manufacturing and medical technology.

India Remained Resilient Despite Economic Challanges

The Prime Minister also acknowledged ongoing global economic challenges, including supply chain disruptions, trade uncertainty and weak global demand, but said India has remained resilient.

“India is the world’s fastest-growing major economy. Our GDP grew by 7.7 per cent in the last financial year. Over the past 12 years, we have transformed our economic DNA by embracing the philosophy of Kaizen, or continuous improvement,” he said.

Beginning his address on a lighter note, Modi referred to Prime Minister Takaichi as “my younger sister.”

Takaichi is on a three-day visit to India from July 1 to 3 at Modi’s invitation. Earlier in the day, the two leaders held bilateral and delegation-level talks before attending the economic forum.

During the summit, both countries also set an ambitious target of mobilising 10 trillion yen in Japanese investment into India over the next decade to further deepen their economic and strategic partnership.

The Indian delegation included External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other senior officials. Takaichi also received a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan earlier in the day.