Manga fans in India will soon be able to purchase physical volumes of their favourite series printed directly within their home country, thanks to a latest development.
Kodansha announced on June 15, 2026, that they will be establishing a joint venture in Delhi under the name Kodansha India Pvt. Ltd., in partnership with Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. and Delhi-based IJ Kakehashi Services Pvt. Ltd.
Kodansha Ltd. will hold the majority stake in the venture with an 81% share, while partners Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. and IJ Kakehashi Services Pvt. Ltd. hold 14% and 5% respectively.
Hirotoshi Kurita, a board director at Kodansha Ltd., will be the Managing Director of the new company. The venture is backed by an initial capital investment of 95 million INR.
This marks the first time a Japanese publisher has established a subsidiary in India to publish physical books and manga locally. The new publishing venture is scheduled to be incorporated in July 2026, with printing and other operations slated to commence in fall 2026.
Traditionally, manga that is available in India has been shipped from the United States. Naturally, the latest development is a great news for manga collectors in the country as it will help cut the cost by bypassing steep import duties and shipping delays, which have historically affected customers negatively.
The first lineup of manga that will be printed by Kodansha India will be announced later this year.
The publisher also confirmed that localized Hindi translations of popular manga are currently in their plans, as they also consider other language preferences of the audience in the country.
“India boasts the world’s largest population, characterized by a large youth demographic, rapid economic growth, and a sharply increasing wealthy class,” Kodansha noted, while explaining why they set up the company in India.
“Backed by India’s growth potential, the new company aims to expand the market for Japanese entertainment by conducting publishing-related and content businesses—such as the production, publication, and marketing of localized Indian editions of Kodansha content, including manga like Attack on Titan and Blue Lock.”
Source: Oricon
