NEW DELHI: Ashoka University and venture capital firm Iron Pillar have launched a report exploring ways to deepen economic cooperation between India and Japan across technology, finance, manufacturing and talent mobility. Titled India-Japan Economic Corridor: Technology, Finance, and the Future of the Indo-Pacific, the report was launched at the International House of Japan in Tokyo on October 9, bringing together around 60 policymakers, investors, diplomats, academics and entrepreneurs.
The report brings together 27 independent perspectives from policymakers, academics, investors and industry leaders. It features a foreword by Nobel laureate in economics Michael A. Spence and examines opportunities across private capital, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, deep technology, space and workforce mobility.
The report notes that despite strong strategic ties, economic engagement remains limited. Japan sources less than 1 per cent of its imports from India, while India accounts for around 4 per cent of Japan’s outbound investment. It identifies complementary strengths, with Japan offering capital, technology and industrial expertise, while India brings a young workforce, growth potential and a growing innovation ecosystem.
However, deeper integration would require stronger intermediaries, greater talent mobility and more predictable institutions, it says. The report also highlights the need to bridge the “missing middle” between government-led initiatives and large corporate engagements by strengthening the role of fund managers, startups, mid-sized suppliers and institutions.
The launch also saw the announcement of a partnership between the Asian Development Bank Institute and Ashoka University to strengthen institutional collaboration.
Promoting cross-border academic exchange
The report is among the first outcomes of the Iron Pillar Initiative in Global Learning, a joint initiative established by Ashoka University and Iron Pillar on September 28, 2026, to promote research, international learning and cross-border academic exchange.