NAM India continues to be a bridge for Indo - Japanese relationship: SundeepSikka, ED and CEO, Nippon Life India Asset Management Ltd

Sundeep Sikka, ED and CEO Nippon Life India Asset Management Ltd was invited by METI,  Japan for Japan India economic forum. In an interaction Sundeep expressed his views on how Nippon can help strengthen Indo - Japan relationship to align with the vision economic forum.

1. You were the only Indian AMC CEO present alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo. From that vantage point, how do you see Indo–Japan economic and security ties shaping investment opportunities for Indian companies? 

This opportunity provides NAM India as an organization both a unique vantage point and space to contribute to the alignment and strengthening of deeper ties which both economies hold over the years.

Being the only Indian AMC CEO in the room with both Prime Ministers at the Economic Forum on PM Modi’s visit to Japan is a testament to the trust placed in us by millions of investors in India. We are proud of the fact that 1 in 3 investors in India invests with us.

From the room in Tokyo, the big takeaway was the unfolding of a transformative bilateral roadmap. Japan’s commitment to channel ¥10 trillion ($68 billion) into India over the next decade emphasized the growing trust and enduring strategic partnership between the two economies and it will pave the way for capital access for many Indian companies across various Industries.

For the asset management industry, this translates into robust opportunities to channel capital into sectors aligned with this bilateral vision—technology, infrastructure, semiconductor, and ESG-led innovation. This coupled with joint declaration on security and defense collaboration adds to geopolitical stability and will go long way in reinforcing joint success of two nations.

2. During this visit, you must have met many Institutional Investors.What is your view on their India allocation and How NAM India is shaping investment opportunities into India?

The visit involved interaction with various institutional investors across the spectrum, and they find strong potential growth opportunities in India across sectors. PM Modi also mentioned that “The world is not just watching India, it is counting on India” which itself reflects deep commitment for economic growth.

Being largest foreign AMC in India and strong parentage in Japan through Nippon Life Insurance, we have already launched 9 funds in collaboration with our Japanese counterpart to provide access of Indian Capital market to Japanese retail as well as institutional investors.

One of the unique initiative India Japan technology fund of funds which also find mentions in officially issued “Japan India Joint Vision for the Next Decade” connects Indian Start up ecosystem to Japanese Corporates thereby providing access of Indian innovation and Japanese capital. 

3. Looking ahead, what sectors or themes do you believe will define the next phase of Indo–Japan investment collaboration, and how is Nippon positioning itself to lead in this space?

India has great demand potential and Japan has right mix of technology and capital to collaborate. Key areas where Japan is a amongst the global leaders include:

India is a right fit to increase investments in India in these segments as India offers much stronger growth potential as well as improving ecosystem to make in India.

Another area where collaboration is likely to increase is lending. Japan has cheap long term capital and great risk management systems.

At Nippon, we are positive on all these 4 segments and have sizable exposure in these high growth sectors across portfolios.

4. Japan is known for patient capital and global manufacturing expertise. How can Indian entrepreneurs leverage this to create a win–win growth model across the Indo–Japan corridor?

The India–Japan combination is complementary and complete: India offers speed, scale, engineering talent, frugal innovation, and a collaborative approach, while Japan contributes manufacturing excellence, IP-driven R&D, quality systems, and patient capital.

This partnership is a clear opportunity to embed Japanese expertise early through joint R&D, co-design, and pilot programs, accelerating global credibility and market access. Japanese corporates, seeking resilient supply chains and trusted innovation partners, gain from India’s agile product cycles and engineering depth. 

This corridor unlocks a win-win ecosystem: Indian startups deliver globally competitive, IP-based solutions, and Japanese partners expand innovation at scale, creating high-trust, resilient, and globally relevant DeepTech products from India to the world.

5. The Prime Ministers emphasized collaboration in startups, technology, and innovation. How do you see initiatives like JISSI and the “India-Japan Fund of Funds” transforming the startup ecosystem, especially in areas like AI, fintech, and green energy?

What excites me about initiatives like JISSI and the India–Japan Fund of Funds is the spirit of collaboration. Japan has deep strengths in batteries, semiconductors, solar cells, green hydrogen, mobility, and clean energy, while India brings scale, talent, and a very dynamic startup ecosystem — the third largest in the world. When Japan plugs into this ecosystem, it’s not just capital — it’s knowledge, R&D, with mentorship. Sharing that excellence and processes with India’s speed and innovation can fast-track growth in AI, fintech, renewables, chip design, and semiconductors, benefiting both countries and global countries. We’ve already seen what’s possible in mobility and infrastructure, and I’m confident we’ll see similar success in these new areas too.