New Delhi: India is a "prominent" market for Japanese imaging and printing solutions provider Canon that has "long-term growth ambitions" as it looks to tap rising demand in smaller cities, said its India President & CEO Toshiaki Nomura.
The company, which aims for 10,000 active resellers in India by 2027, has been recording double-digit growth across its core businesses. It is betting on rising demand from smaller cities, content creators, enterprises and government institutions to drive the next phase of growth in its printing business.
The expansion plan aims to improve product accessibility and strengthen Canon's presence across emerging markets.
"India is one of the focused markets globally for Canon, and we are constantly growing at double-digit rates every year," Nomura told PTI.
He said the company has posted double-digit growth in all its core products, from cameras and printers to multifunction devices and production machines, over the past few years, and aims to sustain that pace.
Canon India's total revenue in 2025 was Rs 3,623.8 crore, up 6.33 per cent, but net profit fell 24 per cent to Rs 82.1 crore, according to data from business intelligence platform Tofler.
On Canon's printing business, Nomura said demand is rising faster in Tier 2, 3 and 4 cities.
"The emerging demand is growing up for tier II, III and IV markets," he said, adding that consumers, education, government, manufacturing and MSME segments are driving it.
Canon's printing portfolio spans small printers, multifunction copier devices and large production machines, all of which are "equally growing at fast pace", he said.
To sustain growth, the company is now "trying to go deeper in the market", he said, adding, "for the traditional reseller channel, currently we have around 6,000 active resellers. But to reach customers, where demand is arising, we think it's not enough."
Canon is targeting more than 10,000 active resellers nationwide, expanding its network across 700 cities, he said, adding the company also plans to expand its service channel.
"As demand emerges from smaller cities, channel expansion becomes critical. We currently have around 6,000 active resellers and are targeting more than 10,000 active resellers nationwide by the end of next year," Nomura said.
On the imaging market, Nomura said Canon sees significant growth potential in India, where it competes with Japanese rivals such as Nikon, Fujifilm and Sony, among other players.
The growth is driven by cinema, OTT platforms and content creators, from big studios to small aspirational creators, Nomura said.
"There is a huge opportunity. And on top of it, the amateur and the youth are also another key focus," he said adding "Many of the youth want to upgrade their imaging quality from the smartphone to a camera. So this is a new arising opportunity."
So from professional to the aspirational content creator, those are the diverse customer sets we are looking for the big growth," he said.
Nomura said the imaging market is moving towards mirrorless cameras from traditional DSLRs (digital single-lens reflex cameras) and demand is not limited to still photography but extends to videography.
"So we take the approach to catering for both the requirements of still image and videography. So we focus on both," he said.
Canon owned more than 30 per cent market share in India in 2025, and expects this to expand further.
Apart from traditional retail channels, Canon is also pursuing an omni-channel strategy that includes e-commerce platforms, quick-commerce channels and its own online store, while also strengthening its large-format retail presence and B2B distribution through system integrators and value-added resellers.
Nomura said the company expects both offline and online channels to grow simultaneously, as each serves different customer requirements.
"Offline channels provide product consultation and customer engagement, while digital platforms offer wider reach. We see both channels growing together," he said.
On Canon Image Square, the company's dedicated camera retail format, Nomura said the focus remains on improving customer experience rather than merely increasing store count.
Canon currently operates around 60-70 Canon Image Square outlets across the country, offering product demonstrations, consultations and experiential engagement for customers.
Besides its core imaging and printing businesses, Canon is exploring growth opportunities in newer segments such as surveillance and security solutions, medical diagnostic equipment and semiconductor manufacturing equipment, he said.
