Indian Minister Giriraj Singh Taps Top Japanese Firms for Textile Collaboration

Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh deepened India’s textile diplomacy in Japan with a string of high-level meetings and the inauguration of the 16th India Trend Fair 2025 in Tokyo, a key event connecting Indian textile exporters with Japanese buyers.

The Fair, held on July 15, is one of the largest platforms for showcasing Indian textile capabilities to the Japanese market and is expected to significantly boost bilateral trade in apparel, fibres, and functional textiles.

Image Source: Giriraj Singh on X

During his visit, the Minister met the leadership of YKK Corporation, the world’s largest zipper manufacturer. YKK, already present in Haryana, expressed interest in expanding operations to other Indian states. 

Singh invited the company to invest in PM MITRA Parks, India’s mega textile parks initiative, which received a positive response.

At a key meeting with Workman Co., a top player in Japan’s functional apparel and workwear segment, the company showed strong intent to explore manufacturing opportunities in India under the PM MITRA framework.

In his engagement with Konica Minolta, a global leader in digital and industrial printing, the Minister invited the firm to expand its India footprint, especially in line with India’s ESG and sustainability goals. The company welcomed the opportunity to scale operations in India.

Singh also met executives from Asahi Kasei Corporation, a $20 billion conglomerate in fibres and advanced textiles. The company expressed active interest in the ‘Make in India for the World’ initiative and discussed avenues for strategic investment in India’s growing technical textile sector.

The day concluded with a textile-focused roadshow and industry interaction at the Indian Embassy in Tokyo, attended by over 100 business leaders and senior officials. 

Ambassador Sibi George and officials from the Ministry of Textiles joined the session, which celebrated the India–Japan partnership in manufacturing, innovation, and sustainable textile production.

The visit underscores India’s push to position itself as a global textile hub and attract cutting-edge investment from international players to meet domestic goals and global demand.