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India Pushes for Balanced Trade with Japan in Key Sectors

India has emphasized the need for a more balanced trade relationship with Japan during a high-level joint committee meeting under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal highlighted India's export potential in sectors like textiles, pharmaceuticals, and services while meeting with Japanese officials. The discussions covered strengthening bilateral economic engagement, improving the business environment, and harnessing the full benefits of the CEPA. A concurrent trade roadshow aimed to promote Indian exports and facilitate greater investment from Japanese companies.

Key Points: India Seeks Balanced Trade with Japan in CEPA Review

  • Review of CEPA implementation
  • Focus on textiles & pharma exports
  • Strengthening bilateral investment
  • Enhancing trade framework stability
2 min read

India seeks more balanced trade ties with Japan

India highlights export potential in textiles, pharma, and services to Japan during high-level CEPA meeting, aiming for a more balanced trade relationship.

"He emphasized the strong complementarities between the two economies - Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal"

New Delhi, March 4

India has highlighted the potential for growth in exports to Japan in sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and services, at a high-level meeting in Tokyo, for achieving a more balanced bilateral trade relationship, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday.

During the 7th Joint Committee meeting under the India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) held this week, both sides reviewed issues relating to the implementation of the agreement and deliberated on ways to further strengthen bilateral economic engagement.

The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary, Department of Commerce, Rajesh Agrawal, Government of India, and the Senior Deputy Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Japan.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Agrawal, met the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

Discussions covered a wide range of issues, including bilateral trade and investment, improving the business environment, and the upcoming 14th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

During the meeting with the METI Vice Minister, Agrawal highlighted the shared vision articulated by the leaders of both countries during the annual summit in August 2025 and underscored the need to enhance and diversify bilateral trade and investment.

He emphasized the strong complementarities between the two economies - Japan's strengths in technology, capital, and advanced manufacturing, and India's skilled workforce, large market, and rapidly growing economy.

He also stressed the importance of harnessing the full benefits of the CEPA, including the movement of natural persons as envisaged during the leaders' summit.

The Commerce Secretary further engaged with leading representatives of the Japanese industry during a roundtable interaction. In the evening, a Trade and Investment Roadshow was organized by the Embassy of India in Japan in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Keidanren, focussing on promoting trade from India and facilitating greater investment flows from Japanese companies.

Agrawal apprised participants of India's conducive policy environment for trade and investment, including ongoing measures to improve ease of doing business and simplified regulatory processes.

He emphasized that the CEPA provides a stable framework ensuring tariff certainty and regulatory predictability, thereby fostering a facilitative environment for deeper collaboration between India and Japan as trusted partners in global value and supply chains.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Finally focusing on balanced trade! For too long it felt one-sided. Promoting our services sector is key – our IT professionals and nurses have so much to offer. The movement of natural persons point is crucial.
R
Rohit P
Good move, but implementation is everything. We've had agreements before. Need to see actual results on the ground – easier customs, less red tape for our exporters. Japanese investment is welcome, but we must also protect our domestic industries.
S
Sarah B
As someone working in the textile export sector, this news is very encouraging. Japan is a quality-conscious market. If the government can help with certifications and market access, it could be a game-changer for many small businesses.
V
Vikram M
Japan's tech with India's skilled workforce is a winning combination. Hope this leads to more manufacturing collaborations, especially in electronics and auto components. Make in India for the world!
K
Karthik V
A respectful critique: While the intent is good, our trade diplomacy often focuses too much on high-level meetings and roadshows. The real work is in simplifying procedures for the common exporter. Hope this time it's different.
A
Ananya R
Agriculture exports! This is fantastic. If we can get our mango

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