What will Modi’s Japan visit mean for Asian giants? Entrepreneur Khader Sheriff decodes

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares for his visit to Japan, attention is turning to how bilateral ties can accelerate in commerce, technology, and start-ups. In an interview with The Federal, veteran entrepreneur Khader Sheriff, who has built businesses across India, Singapore, and Japan, and is fluent in Japanese, shares his perspective on where the relationship is headed.

You have lived and worked both in India and Japan. With bilateral trade projected at $28.85 billion, how do you see growth over the next decade?

If you look at business dynamics in this region, collaboration between India and Japan is growing substantially. We’ve seen double-digit growth across most sectors.

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When I first began ventures in Japan two decades ago, cultural and language barriers made collaboration difficult. Today, technology and stronger networks have changed that. Now we can create platforms to connect at the root level and ensure smoother partnerships between India and Japan.

Which sectors show the greatest promise for collaboration?

Several. First, green initiatives. Japan’s Bank of International Cooperation is investing heavily in net-zero and carbon-related projects, including solar and sustainable energy.

Second, technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Japan already has frameworks for healthcare, education, and smart cities, where India can contribute scale and innovation.

Third, manufacturing. Combining India’s scale with Japan’s process excellence can fast-track ‘Make in India’ goals.

And fourth, start-ups. Co-incubation programmes, where Japanese firms mentor Indian founders testing disruptive solutions, can be transformative. It’s a win-win model.

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Japanese venture capital firms like SoftBank and Mizuho have played a role in India’s unicorn story. How do you see Indian entrepreneurs tapping Japan itself?

Japan and India have complementary strengths. Japanese companies have a long-term vision and ensure stability, while Indian start-ups are agile and experiment quickly. Together, they can reduce time-to-market without compromising on quality.

Japanese firms bring infrastructure, expertise, and global credibility, while India offers speed, creativity, and cost-effective scaling. Capital is abundant in Japan, and even with small interest rate changes there, global markets feel the impact.

So, for Indian entrepreneurs, Japan is not just a source of funding but also a gateway to credibility and scale.

How do you see Modi’s visit translating into benefits for entrepreneurs and SMEs, especially in areas like deep tech?

Deep tech is vital. India has lagged here while the US and China forged ahead. With Japan, collaboration must address earlier challenges—language, regulatory complexity, and conservative risk-taking.

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Today, communication is easier, but Indian entrepreneurs must adapt culturally and build trust. In Japan, partnerships are long-term relationships that often span decades. SMEs must realise this and work with consistency, continuous improvement, and reliability.

If we align correctly, deep tech, AI, and core infrastructure could become pillars of Indo-Japan cooperation.

If you were advising both governments, what single policy change would unlock potential?

We need a bilateral Indo-Japanese start-up and innovation corridor. The framework should simplify regulations, ease customs and compliance, and fast-track proof-of-concept projects.

It’s important to differentiate between commodity trade and technology-driven trade. For innovation, speed is critical. For example, in Singapore-Japan logistics, shipments clear in less than 24 hours. In India, the same process can take 10-15 days. That delay hurts credibility.

If India can streamline such bottlenecks, Japanese companies will be far more confident in deep collaborations here.

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Finally, can India also leverage cultural soft power with Japan?

Absolutely. Rajinikanth, known as Udayaraja in Japan, has a cult following there. Tamil films have found fans, and Japanese fans even run Rajinikanth-themed autos. Actress Meena is also popular.

But cultural exchange mostly happens in Japan. We need to reciprocate – bring Japanese culture more into India. That will make Japanese investors and entrepreneurs feel at home here, just as Koreans have settled in Chennai after Hyundai set up operations.

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