Piyush Goyal Announces Certification Ease for Japanese Tech Firms

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal led a delegation of over 200 Indian businesses to Tokyo on August 25 to strengthen strategic ties in advanced technology and manufacturing. During a roundtable focused on semiconductors and artificial intelligence, Goyal announced that the Indian government will establish a framework to ease Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification requirements for high-tech companies. He stated that exemptions could be granted at the sector, company, product, or project level to ensure the timely supply of equipment and components.

Accompanying the minister, FICCI President Anant Goenka called for greater regulatory harmonization and mutual recognition of quality standards between the two nations. Goenka specifically noted that registration difficulties for Indian pharmaceutical companies in Japan have contributed to a widening trade deficit. While India achieved its five-billion-dollar investment target for 2022-26 two years early, Goenka described current investment levels as modest relative to Japan's broader 10 trillion yen commitment.

Discussions between the delegations focused on new investments in data centers, steel, automotives, and semiconductors, as well as joint cooperation in critical minerals and Africa. Goenka also proposed the creation of Japanese-specific industrial parks in India to mitigate the impact of steel safeguard duties on Japanese investors.