Nippon Paint to Expand R&D and Manufacturing Footprint in India Following Osaka Talks

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal’s four-day official visit to Japan from August 24 to 27, 2026, marked a significant step forward in strengthening the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, with investment, advanced manufacturing and technology emerging as key areas of focus.

Leading India’s largest-ever business delegation to Japan, comprising more than 200 trade representatives, Goyal held discussions with senior Japanese government officials, industrial conglomerates and institutional investors across Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka.

A central objective of the visit was to mobilise long-term Japanese capital towards the target of 10 trillion yen in investment in India, while also reviewing the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). The discussions also sought to deepen cooperation in high-technology sectors, including semiconductors, clean energy, industrial automation and advanced manufacturing.

Nippon Paint outlines India expansion plans

During the Osaka leg of his visit on August 27, Goyal held a high-level meeting with the executive leadership of Nippon Paint Holdings Co., Ltd. The Japanese coatings major was represented by Director and Co-President Yuichiro Wakatsuki, along with Nippon Paint India Managing Director Sharad Malhotra.

The discussions focused on aligning Nippon Paint’s expansion strategy with India’s rapidly growing infrastructure and manufacturing ecosystem. The meeting highlighted the increasing importance of specialised paints and coatings in sectors ranging from urban development and automotive manufacturing to large-scale public infrastructure.

Nippon Paint’s leadership reaffirmed its commitment to an India-first strategy, describing the country as one of its most important global growth markets. The company indicated its ambition to expand its presence across both decorative and industrial coating segments, with the objective of scaling its India operations in line with its global footprint.

The company also announced plans to deepen its local presence by strengthening domestic manufacturing and expanding research and development capabilities. The strategy is aimed not only at serving India’s expanding consumer and industrial markets but also at positioning the country as an integrated production and innovation hub for global exports.

Japanese investment aligns with India’s manufacturing ambitions

The Goyal-Nippon Paint engagement reflects a broader push to attract deeper, capital-intensive Japanese investment into India’s industrial ecosystem. By expanding local manufacturing, research and development and supply-chain capabilities, Nippon Paint’s strategy dovetails with India’s ambition to build resilient domestic production capabilities and emerge as a globally competitive manufacturing hub.

The developments during Goyal’s Japan visit underline the evolving nature of the India-Japan economic relationship, moving beyond traditional investment flows towards technology-intensive manufacturing, localisation and integration with global value chains.

Source: Economic Times