Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday batted for strategic tie up with Japan in key sectors of advanced manufacturing, mobility, electronics, food processing, renewable energy, and global services.
The Chief Minister, accompanied by Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora, virtually held a detailed deliberation with a high level delegation of Japan comprising representatives of the Embassy of Japan, JETRO, JCCII, and over 25 leading Japanese companies operating across India such as Panasonic, Sumitomo, Nippon, NEC, Toyota and others.
The interaction formed a key part of Punjab’s international outreach in the run-up to the 6th Progressive Punjab Investors’ Summit scheduled from March 13-15, 2026 at the Indian School of Business (ISB), Mohali. Invest Punjab showcased the state’s economic landscape and the unique Invest Punjab unified regulatory model, which integrates powers of multiple departments under a single authority.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab is a land known for courage, resilience, hard work, entrepreneurship, creativity, and a strong sense of community. He said that Punjab has always played a major role in India’s development especially in making the country self reliant in food production. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that today Punjab is moving forward with a renewed vision to become a leading centre for modern industry, technology, and global collaboration.
The Chief Minister, in his keynote remarks, emphasized Punjab’s strong and growing ties with Japanese industry and extended a warm invitation to Japanese companies to be part of Punjab’s next phase of industrial transformation. He said that Punjab and Japan share values of trust, discipline, and long-term partnership which can be pivotal for state. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Japanese companies in Punjab have already demonstrated strong success in the state.
The Chief Minister said that the goal of state government is to create new opportunities for our youth and a stable, reliable environment for investors. Recalling Punjab’s ties with Japanese industry, he said that these relations are already strong and growing adding that several well-known companies of Japan have placed their trust in Punjab. Bhagwant Singh Mann said it is matter of immense pride and satisfaction that in automotive and manufacturing sector Punjab hosts Mazda, Sumitomo, SML Isuzu, Yanmar, Aichi Steel, and Gunma Seiko.
Likewise, the Chief Minister said that in the packaging and industrial products, Toppan and Oji Holdings
have built a solid presence whereas in chemicals and paints, Kansai Nerolac and Nissan Chemical
operate successfully. Likewise, he said that in agriculture and machinery, Yanmar Agricultural Machinery and CLAAS India are valued partners adding that in retail and consumer products, Uniqlo has introduced Japanese quality to our people. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that in renewable energy, Mitsui & Co. is contributing to our green
vision adding that these partnerships reflect the confidence that Japanese investors place in Punjab’s stability, skills, and commitment to growth.
The Chief Minister said that to take this partnership to the next level, the Punjab government is showcasing Punjab’s industrial strengths, exploring new areas of collaboration, and deepening long-term engagement with Japanese industry. He said that Punjab today stands among India’s most business friendly states and the Government of India has recognised Punjab as a Top Achiever in the 2024 Business Reform Action Plan (BRAP) rankings. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this achievement reflects focus of state government on ease of doing business, transparency, and responsive governance.
The Chief Minister said that this vision is simple and clear to make Punjab a preferred destination for global industry by offering stability in policy, speed in decision-making, and a governance system that respects the time and trust of investors. He said that Punjab’s approach is based on partnership and working closely with industry, by understanding their needs and ensure that government becomes an enabler of growth. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Punjab strengthens its infrastructure, expands its industrial
capacity and opens new avenues for investment.
Extending red carpet welcome to Japanese companies to explore the new possibilities emerging in state, the Chief Minister said that future of Punjab is being shaped around
advanced manufacturing, mobility, electronics, food processing,
renewable energy, and global services. He said that these are the core areas where Japan’s strengths and Punjab’s aspirations align naturally adding he called upon the investors to join the state at the 6th
Progressive Punjab Investors’ Summit. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the summit will showcase Punjab’s progress, bring together leading industrial players, and present new opportunities for partnership and
collaboration.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab and Japan share values of trust, quality, and long-term commitment adding that state Government is fully dedicated to deepen this relationship. He said that these state government is committed to build a future of shared prosperity through strong economic and cultural ties. Thanking the investors, Bhagwant Singh Mann sought their fulsome support and cooperation for their continued engagement with Punjab.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora said that the FastTrack Punjab digital platform now delivers more than 200 Government-to-Business services with guaranteed approvals within 45 working days, backed by legally enforceable auto-deemed approvals. He underlined the coordinated reforms undertaken across Industries & Commerce, Investment Promotion, Power, and NRI Affairs to ensure world-class facilitation for investors. The Minister highlighted that Punjab has attracted more than Rs 1.39 lakh crore in industrial investments generating employment of 5.09 lakh jobs adding that state is further strengthening its power infrastructure with an outlay of Rs 5,000 crore to support future industrial and renewable energy needs.
Meanwhile, Japanese and Indo-Japanese industry leaders, including senior representatives from Yanmar Holdings and TTC Group, shared their experiences of operating in Punjab, highlighting the quality of human capital, supportive policy ecosystem, and seamless facilitation by Invest Punjab. JETRO and Embassy officials appreciated the proactive outreach of Punjab and discussed avenues for deeper collaboration through industry delegations, B2B matchmaking, SME partnerships, and potential sector-specific cooperation in areas such as manufacturing, logistics, renewable energy, digital transformation, and agri-technology.
