Yonex to acquire 50% voting rights in Indian partner Sunrise Sports

Japanese sports equipment major Yonex is set to acquire a stake in Sunrise Sports India, its long-standing Indian distribution partner, giving the company a more direct position in the country’s sports-equipment market.

Yonex announced on September 16 that it plans to acquire shares in Sunrise Sports and make the Delhi-based company an equity-method affiliate.

The transaction will give Yonex 50% voting rights in Sunrise Sports and is expected to close by December 2026. Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

The move comes as Yonex identifies India as one of its priority markets under its medium- to long-term “Global Growth Strategy”.

The Japanese company has operated its own badminton-racquet factory in India since 2017, with production increasing alongside demand for its products.

“The market has recently witnessed a growing popularity of badminton and is expected to offer significant growth potential,” Yonex said in its disclosure. The company added that Sunrise Sports has been a “long-standing partner” supporting distribution, brand penetration and market expansion in India.

The transaction therefore brings Yonex closer to the distribution infrastructure through which its products reach Indian consumers.

Rather than changing the relationship between manufacturer and distributor, the deal gives Yonex an ownership interest in a business that already has an established domestic network.

Sunrise Sports, founded in 1993, distributes Yonex badminton and tennis equipment across India. Its network spans more than 10,000 retail outlets, academies, e-commerce platforms and exclusive stores, according to the company.

Sunrise also operates more than 50 exclusive stores and has been Yonex’s partner with the Badminton Association of India since 1996.

For Yonex, the investment connects manufacturing, distribution and market development more closely within India. The company said the partnership would allow it to integrate its global strategy with local market characteristics while supporting the continued development of badminton.

The transaction also reflects the growing importance of India not just as a consumer market for global sports brands, but as a market where distribution networks and local partnerships can become strategic assets.