Tokyo: The India–Japan CEPA meeting was held in Tokyo on March 2 to review implementation of the bilateral trade pact and strengthen economic engagement between the two countries.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal co-chaired the seventh India–Japan CEPA meeting with Japan’s Senior Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs. Both sides assessed progress under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and discussed measures to deepen trade and investment ties.
On the sidelines, Agrawal met the Vice Minister of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The discussions covered bilateral trade, investment flows, business reforms and preparations for the upcoming 14th WTO Ministerial Conference.
Agrawal highlighted the shared vision outlined during the Annual Summit in August 2025. Therefore, he stressed the need to diversify and balance trade between the two nations.
India–Japan CEPA meeting pushes balanced trade
During his engagements, Agrawal underlined complementarities between the two economies. He noted Japan’s strengths in technology and advanced manufacturing, while India offers a skilled workforce and a large market. Moreover, he called for harnessing the full benefits of the agreement, including provisions on movement of natural persons.
He pointed to strong export potential for India in textiles, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and services. In addition, he emphasised the importance of achieving a more balanced trade relationship for long-term sustainability.
The Commerce Secretary also interacted with leading Japanese industry representatives during a roundtable. Later, the Embassy of India in Japan organised a Trade and Investment Roadshow with CII and Keidanren to promote Indian exports and attract investment.
Agrawal informed participants about India’s improved ease of doing business and simplified regulatory processes. He added that the agreement ensures tariff certainty and regulatory predictability, thereby supporting deeper collaboration in global value and supply chains.
