The India Today Group will host the third edition of the India Today Indo-Japan Conclave in New Delhi on May 22, 2026, bringing together an influential cross-section of policymakers, diplomats, industry leaders and strategic voices from India and Japan to deepen India-Japan cooperation across trade, technology, manufacturing, infrastructure, skills and culture.
Themed ‘The New Growth Corridor’, the day-long conclave comes at a time when the India-Japan relationship is acquiring renewed strategic and economic significance. As global supply chains realign, geopolitical uncertainties deepen and Asian economies look for more resilient models of growth, the partnership between India and Japan stands at the centre of a larger regional opportunity.
The conclave is presented by the Government of Haryana and powered by Daikin and FedEx. Takeda joins as the Health Partner, while Toki is the Celebration Partner.
Speaking on the relevance of the conclave, Raj Chengappa, Editorial Director, Publishing, India Today Group, said: “India and Japan share a relationship built on trust, strategic convergence and a long view of the future. What makes this moment significant is the shift from intent to execution. The next phase of India-Japan cooperation will be shaped not only in diplomatic conversations, but also through manufacturing partnerships, technology corridors, urban transformation, skills development and cultural exchange. The India Today Indo-Japan Conclave is our attempt to bring these conversations into one serious, action-oriented forum.”
The 2026 edition will feature a distinguished line-up of speakers, including Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Jitin Prasada, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry; Nayab Singh Saini, Chief Minister of Haryana Sardar Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi; and Ono Keiichi, Ambassador of Japan to India.
The programme will open with a welcome address by Raj Chengappa, followed by a special address by Ambassador Ono Keiichi on ‘India-Japan: Expanding the Growth Horizon’.
The conclave will then move into a series of high-impact conversations examining the many layers of the bilateral relationship. Lieutenant Governor Sardar Taranjit Singh Sandhu will speak on ‘From Metro to Metropolis: How Japan Can Help Redesign Delhi’s Urban Future’, exploring how Japanese expertise in infrastructure, mobility and civic design can inform the next phase of urban transformation in India.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini will present the state’s development and investment vision in ‘Smart States: Haryana Model for Global Partnership’, underlining the growing role of states in shaping international economic partnerships. Jitin Prasada will address the trade and commerce agenda through ‘CEPA: The New Focus Sectors of Growth’, while Sujan R. Chinoy, Director General, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, and former Indian Ambassador to Japan, will offer a strategic perspective on ‘India-Japan in an Uncertain World Order’.
A key focus of the conclave will be the future of manufacturing. The session ‘Make in India Meets Monozukuri: The Winning Formula’ will examine how India’s scale and market depth can align with Japan’s precision, process discipline and engineering legacy. Takeshi Seo, Chairman, Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, India, will be among the key voices in this conversation.
The economic and investment agenda will continue through sessions on technology, talent and capital flows. Nivruti Rai, Managing Director and CEO, Invest India, will speak on ‘Building the Next Tech Corridor’, while Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, will address the skills partnership through ‘India’s Talent, Japan’s Demand: The Strategic Match’.
The conclave will also host two major business panels. ‘Widening the Japan-India Investment Pipeline’ will bring together senior voices including Deepa Wadhwa, former Indian Ambassador to Japan; Fumio Yamazaki from the Embassy of Japan; Toru Endo of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation; and Sundeep Sikka of Nippon Asset Management. Another major session, ‘Can India Be Japan’s Global Production Hub?’, will feature leadership from Hitachi, Daikin, Mitsui and Panasonic India, assessing India’s readiness to move from a large consumer market to a deeper manufacturing base for Japanese industry.
The afternoon sessions will widen the frame beyond industry and investment. Dr Amit Agrawal, Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Government of Haryana, will speak on the importance of trust-building between states and global partners. Kiren Rijiju will headline a session on ‘The Northeast Corridor: Looking and Acting East’, positioning India’s Northeast as a vital gateway between South Asia, Southeast Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific.
The conclave will also recognise the growing cultural and consumer dimensions of the India-Japan relationship. A lifestyle-focused conversation on winning the Indian consumer will feature Dr Sandeep Goyal, Chairman, Rediffusion, and Hajime Aota, Chairman, Yamaha Motor India Group. Noriaki Abe from the Embassy of Japan will explore ‘The New India-Japan Cultural Bridge’, while a session on ‘The Manga-Anime Rage’, featuring Jatin Varma, Founder, Comic Con India, and cosplay artist Baishakhi Das, will capture the younger, more popular-cultural energy now connecting the two societies.
The India Today Indo-Japan Conclave has, over the years, grown into a meaningful platform for dialogue between two of Asia’s most important democracies. The inaugural edition in 2022 marked 70 years of India-Japan diplomatic relations and was inaugurated by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. The 2023 edition, themed ‘India-Japan@2030’, was inaugurated by then Union Power Minister R.K. Singh.
The third edition builds on that foundation with a sharper emphasis on outcomes, partnerships and sectoral opportunity. From trade and manufacturing to urban design, health, technology, culture and the Indo-Pacific, the conclave will underline the growing depth and range of a relationship that is becoming central to Asia’s next growth story.
