Three Japanese firms join forces to build automobile trade corridor between India and Africa 

Three Japanese companies — Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd, TradeWaltz Inc. and Suzuki Motor Corporation — have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for cooperation on collaboration in automobile trade between India and Africa. 

This announcement was made at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), held in Yokohama.

The three companies said they will cooperate in identifying current challenges in trade operations related to automobile transportation between India and Africa, and exploring potential solutions, including digitalisation and promoting decarbonisation.

Recognising the importance of the “Japan–India Cooperation Initiative for Sustainable Economic Development in Africa” launched at the Japan–India–Africa Business Forum held in February 2025, the three companies identified synergies between their respective businesses in India and Africa, and aim to contribute to the regions’ economic development together by leveraging their strengths, they said.

“Announcing this MOU on the occasion of TICAD 9 marks a concrete first step toward building a robust supply chain and enhancing the economic connectivity of the enormous, growing markets in India and Africa,” the three companies said in a joint statement.

The three companies will continue to embody the spirit of TICAD through their initiatives, working together to establish a robust automobile supply chain between India and Africa, and achieving shared growth together with India and Africa, they added.

“This partnership is an important step toward building a robust automobile trade corridor between India and Africa. By combining MOL’s expertise in safe, sustainable transport with the innovation of our partners, we aim to create a more digitalized, resilient, and future-ready supply chain that contributes to the growth of both regions,” said Capt. Anand Jayaraman, Executive Officer, MOL South Asia and Middle East Region. 

The major challenge in the automobile trade between India and Africa is the manual processing of key documents like bills of lading. While TradeWaltz will address this, MOL, which is currently expanding automobile transport services from India to Africa, would deploy additional capacity to cater to the rapidly rising demand in this trade route. 

Suzuki, on its part, is supporting the mobility of people in Africa through providing Indian-made compact cars and other products. 

“The demand for fuel-efficient, durable and affordable compact vehicles from Africa’s middle class is shared by our Indian customers and the proximity of India and Africa is driving this business,” Suzuki said.