IJCCI and AIMA Join Forces to Strengthen Indo-Japan SME and Education Ties

• IJCCI and AIMA sign MoU to deepen India-Japan ties in SME growth, education, and industry best practices.
• SME Exchange Program, Japanese university linkages, and four thematic workshops announced for FY 2025-26.
• Initiative aims to foster bilateral business innovation, cross-border learning, and grassroots cooperation.

In a strong move towards deepening bilateral economic interaction and knowledge sharing, the Indo-Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IJCCI) and the All India Management Association (AIMA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the objective of enhancing cooperation in the areas of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) development, higher education linkages, and business capacity-building between India and Japan.

According to the MoU, both organizations have pledged close collaboration on three strategic pillars: an intensive SME Entrepreneur Exchange Program, institutional collaborations with top Japanese universities, and a series of joint thematic workshops for transferring Japanese best practices to Indian industries.

Representing AIMA were Dr. Rohit Singh, Director, Centre for Management Education, Rahul Bhatia, Deputy Director, Centre for Management Education, Ms. Ekta Nayyar, Assistant Director, Centre for Management Education and Prof. Amit Bhatnagar, Centre for Management Education. Representing the IJCC were Rahul Mishra (Chairman, IJCC), Gajendra Badgujar (Vice-Chairman (Strategy), Prakash Yadav (Vice-Chairman (Corporate Affairs), and Dr. Jatinder Khanna (Policy Maker, Education & Culture).

SME Entrepreneur Exchange Program: One Step Forward to Cross-Border Synergy, The MoU provides the framework for a industry-specific SME exchange program between India and Japan in the financial year 2025-26. The model being proposed is a carefully curated five-day trip by a 25-member Indian SME delegation to Japan, which would be followed by a return five-day trip by 25 Japanese SMEs to India.

For effective outcomes, every interaction will be sector-specific, covering textiles, processed foods, packaging, and engineering to apparel, corresponding with the trade priorities of both countries at the moment. The main aims are to provide best practices for operations, investigate sourcing and export-import possibilities, and arrange pre-matched pre-agreed B2B meetings among participating SMEs. Delegates will also gain exposure to Japanese business culture, technology presentations, and factory tours.

According to the MoU, AIMA will lead in mobilising Indian SMEs and welcoming the Japanese delegation to India, while IJCCI will coordinate with Japanese SMEs and facilitate the visit of the Indian delegation to Japan. Both the organisations have the freedom to raise sponsorships on their own to subsidise travel and program expenses in order to make the initiative more inclusive and accessible.

Building Academic Bridges: Japan-India Collaboration in Management Education. Noting the increasing relevance of international exposure in business education, the MoU also promotes cooperation between AIMA and Japanese universities that provide English-language postgraduate management education. IJCCI will make the introductions and establish contact with leading Japanese institutions, such as Hitotsubashi ICS, NUCB, Waseda University, IUJ, Globis, Doshisha, Hosei, Kyoto University, Tsukuba, APU, and Kobe University.

The objective is to investigate academic partnerships, such as common immersion modules, credit transferability, and short-term certification that can be incorporated with AIMA's current Executive PGDM and other management programs. The purpose of these initiatives is to give Indian professionals globally aligned, Japan-centered business knowledge a value in the current more connected Indo-Pacific economy.

Knowledge Transfer through Thematic Workshops and Seminars: The third most important element of the partnership entails the co-hosting of four thematic workshops per year. These seminar-type seminars will concentrate on tried and tested Japanese practices and business techniques that Indian businesses can utilize to become more efficient and competitive.

Themes suggested are 'Kaizen & Lean Manufacturing', 'Conducting Business with Japanese Businesses', 'Export to Japan', 'Total Quality Management (TQM) & 5S', 'Japanese Packaging Requirements', 'Technology Transfer and Access to Innovation', and 'Cross-Cultural Communication'. These sessions shall act as a platform where industry experts could learn directly from practitioners and experts, and hence bring deeper insights and enhance Indo-Japanese partnership at the grassroots business level.

Describing the development, top officials of AIMA and IJCCI were optimistic about the extensive outreach of this collaboration. "We view this MoU as a driving force for promoting sustainable business alliances, cross-border learning, and innovation sharing between India and Japan", stated a joint press release by the two organisations.

With Japan becoming a reliable partner to India in economic and industrial growth, this fresh partnership between AIMA and IJCCI is ready to become the bridge, getting together entrepreneurs, educators, and business leaders from both nations to co-build a resilient and forward-thinking Indo-Japan growth story.