Japanese tech conglomerate Rakuten is significantly expanding its footprint in India with a planned investment of at least $100 million in 2025. The move aligns with its broader strategy to position India as a core innovation and technology hub with a particular emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI).
Currently, 90% of Rakuten’s 4,000 India-based employees are engaged in tech roles. The company now aims to grow its local headcount by 8% while intensifying its focus on building AI-powered capabilities and infrastructure. Rakuten is actively recruiting AI specialists and “power users” to drive enterprise-wide AI integration.
India’s Global Capability Center (GCC) remains central to Rakuten’s innovation engine, contributing to the development of flagship products such as Rakuten Pay and the SixthSense platform—an AI tool that predicts and detects system issues proactively.
In FY24, Rakuten recorded ¥10.5 billion in profit, largely attributed to AI-led operational efficiency. The company is targeting to double this figure by 2025.
With India’s GCC market projected to reach $105 billion by 2030, Rakuten’s latest investment underscores the country’s strategic importance as a global center for technological innovation and digital transformation.
