Japanese Student’s Three-Month India Internship Offers Fresh Perspective on India’s Innovation and Startup Ecosystem

NEW DELHI: A three-month internship in India gave 23-year-old Japanese student Rikuta Baba an opportunity to experience the country beyond the stereotypes and popular perceptions often shaped by social media, news reports and second-hand accounts.

Baba, a student at Shiga University in Japan, arrived in India on August 1, 2026, and completed his internship on October 30. During his stay, he was associated with EF Polymer India, an agricultural technology venture working on sustainable solutions to water scarcity and challenges faced by farmers.

His experience offered an insight into India’s evolving startup ecosystem, where young entrepreneurs are developing innovative solutions to real-world problems, traditional sectors are embracing technology, and international partnerships are creating new opportunities.

In a conversation with Asian Community News (ACN) Network towards the conclusion of his internship, Baba reflected on his experience of living and working in India and how the extended stay helped him develop a broader understanding of the country.

Experiencing India Beyond Conventional Perceptions

For many young Japanese people, India is often associated with ancient traditions, crowded cities, economic inequalities and a rapidly growing technology sector. However, Baba’s three-month stay provided an opportunity to understand the country’s diversity through everyday interactions and professional experiences.

Rather than viewing India only as a tourist destination, he experienced its business environment, entrepreneurial ambitions and workplace culture.

His internship demonstrated how innovation in India extends beyond information technology and major metropolitan centres. It is also emerging in agriculture, environmental sustainability and solutions designed to improve rural livelihoods.

Exploring Agricultural Innovation with EF Polymer

One of the key highlights of Baba’s internship was his association with EF Polymer India, a venture developing biodegradable, water-retaining materials to help farmers reduce irrigation requirements.

The company’s flagship product, Fasal Amrit, is manufactured using agricultural waste, including discarded fruit peels. The material helps soil retain moisture and nutrients, addressing water scarcity, one of the major challenges confronting Indian agriculture.

For Baba, exposure to such an enterprise offered a practical understanding of how entrepreneurship can combine business objectives with environmental sustainability and social impact.

Founded by Indian entrepreneur Narayan Lal Gurjar, EF Polymer subsequently expanded its international presence through Japan, establishing its headquarters in Okinawa. The company’s journey demonstrates how an innovation developed to address an agricultural challenge in India can evolve into an internationally relevant business.

It also reflects the growing potential for India–Japan cooperation in emerging areas beyond traditional sectors such as automobiles, electronics and manufacturing.

Exposure to India’s Startup and Incubation Ecosystem

As part of his professional exposure, Baba also visited the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Federation at the CCS National Institute of Agricultural Marketing in Jaipur.

During the visit, he interacted with Dr Ravi K. Goyal, COO and Director of the incubation initiative, and discussed his association with EF Polymer India.

The interaction provided an opportunity to understand India’s startup incubation environment, where emerging entrepreneurs receive mentorship, institutional support and guidance to develop their business models.

Such exposure is particularly valuable for international students seeking to understand how Indian entrepreneurs navigate market uncertainties, operational challenges and resource limitations while building innovative businesses.

It also highlights the importance of institutional networks and international collaboration in developing sustainable enterprises.

Understanding India Through Professional and Cultural Exchange

Living and working in another country involves adapting to differences in communication, workplace practices, social customs and everyday routines.

For international students, these experiences often provide lessons that cannot be gained entirely through classroom education or short-term visits.

India’s geographical, cultural and economic diversity makes firsthand exposure particularly important. Experiences in one city or professional environment may differ considerably from those in another.

Baba’s internship illustrates how an extended stay can help international visitors develop a more balanced understanding of Indian society while strengthening their adaptability, cross-cultural communication and professional confidence.

Strengthening India–Japan Relations Through Youth Exchange

Baba’s experience also highlights an important dimension of India–Japan relations: direct engagement between young people.

While bilateral cooperation is frequently discussed in terms of investments, industrial partnerships, technology and strategic relations, student exchanges and international internships also play an important role in strengthening long-term friendship.

Young people who study or work abroad often become informal bridges between their home and host countries. Their experiences can influence future academic interests, professional decisions and perceptions of another society.

Baba’s association with an agricultural technology venture operating across India and Japan further demonstrates the opportunities available for young people to engage with emerging areas of bilateral cooperation, including sustainability, agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship.

Three Months of Learning Beyond the Classroom

With his internship concluding on October 30, Baba completed nearly three months of professional and cultural exposure in a country whose business environment and social diversity differ considerably from Japan.

His journey demonstrates how international internships can offer much more than professional experience or academic credits. They provide opportunities to encounter unfamiliar approaches to problem-solving, understand different working cultures and develop a broader international outlook.

For Japanese students considering India as a destination for education, internships or professional opportunities, his experience offers an encouraging example of the possibilities beyond conventional career paths.

Ultimately, Baba’s three-month journey highlights a simple but important lesson: understanding another country requires more than relying on preconceived perceptions. It requires curiosity, personal interaction and firsthand experience.

For Rikuta Baba, India offered an opportunity to discover its entrepreneurial energy, agricultural innovation and growing international connections—experiences that could continue to shape his outlook long after his return to Japan.