Haryana is quietly building one of India's most compelling pitches to Japanese industry — and on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, that pitch got a high-profile endorsement. Chief Minister Nayab Saini met with representatives of Daikin India in Chandigarh, as the Japanese appliance giant's management personally thanked the state government for its support in setting up a Research and Development Centre in Haryana.

Why Daikin Came to Thank Haryana

Daikin India, the Indian arm of Daikin Industries Ltd — one of Japan's largest manufacturers of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment — is among the most prominent Japanese companies operating in the country. The Daikin management's expression of gratitude to the Haryana Government signals that the state's investor facilitation machinery delivered in a meaningful way on the R&D Centre project. CM Saini, in turn, reaffirmed the government's commitment to a 'business-friendly ecosystem, seamless facilitation and all necessary support to investors.'

That language is deliberate. Haryana has spent years positioning itself not just as a manufacturing corridor but as a destination where Japanese firms can plant deeper roots — including in high-value research functions, not just shop floors.

Haryana's Japanese Connection and the NCR Advantage

The Chief Minister's Office of Haryana described the state as 'a second home for Japanese businesses in India,' claiming it hosts the highest share of Japanese companies in the country. The research basis for that precise ranking is not independently verifiable, but the broader reality is well-established: Haryana's proximity to the National Capital Region, its existing industrial clusters, and its logistics connectivity have made it a natural landing pad for Japanese manufacturers in electronics, automobiles, and appliances.

That concentration did not happen by accident. The India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement of 2011 lowered tariff barriers and unlocked bilateral investment flows. The Make in India initiative from 2014 pushed state governments to build single-window clearance systems for foreign firms. Haryana moved early and moved hard on both fronts.

R&D Centres: The Next Frontier for Japan-India Ties

The Daikin R&D Centre project matters beyond one company. When a Japanese manufacturer chooses to locate research and development — not just assembly — in an Indian state, it signals a longer-term bet on local talent, regulatory stability, and supply-chain depth. It also fits squarely into India's broader strategy of deepening technology partnerships with Japan under the India-Japan Strategic and Global Partnership framework.

For Haryana, landing an R&D anchor from a firm like Daikin could catalyse follow-on investment from the wider ecosystem of Japanese suppliers and technology partners. The Chief Minister's office flagged exactly that ambition — 'strengthening Haryana-Japan ties and creating new opportunities for investment, innovation and employment.'

The next test is whether that ambition translates into a concrete project timeline and, eventually, jobs on the ground.