Analysis by Zsolt Trembeczki
This policy brief is part of a two-part series analysing the history and current situation of Japanese foreign direct investment (FDI), and its potential role in India’s economy. The previous part found that while Japan has become a major investor in India over the recent decades, top-level political relations in the past had limited impact on India’s actual ability to attract Japanese foreign direct investment. This policy brief examines the factors that determine Japanese companies’ willingness to establish or increase their presence in India. It finds that India’s dynamically growing market, relatively cheap talent pool, infrastructure ‘spending spree’, and recent policies promoting the industry are highly attractive to Japanese companies. That being said, Japanese investors are deeply concerned about India’s poor infrastructure and still relatively restrictive regulatory environment. For these reasons, the realisation of the 2022 March announcement by Japanese Prime Minister Kishida, which would add an up to 136% increase in Japanese FDI stock in India, would first and foremost depend on India’s own ability to implement reforms and improve its infrastructure, rather than on the political will of top Indian and Japanese leaders.
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