As part of Confederation of Indian Industry’s Annual Meeting 2021, a Plenary Session on ‘India as a Manufacturing Powerhouse’ was held over virtual platform. The theme of the Annual Meeting is India@75: Government and Business working together for AatmaNirbhar Bharat.
Shri Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, during his address said, “We have produced goods worth more than 10 lakh crore in the electronic sector in India, in the last seven years. We are hopeful that the next 10 lakh crores will happen in next three years. It is important to create the manufacturing capacity and stimulate demand simultaneously. He added, no manufacturing sector can remain competitive without being significantly digital. Leaders across sectors must therefore embrace digitisation.”
Shri Arun Goel, Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries, said, “We cannot be a world power without being a world economic power, and manufacturing still remains at the core for any world power. India needs to take on a new trajectory while looking at geometric angles to growth with a focus on engineering R&D. Government can only be a catalyst and human resource will be the most critical resource. We have started 6 platforms that will facilitate identification of technological solutions to problems posed by industry. Accelerators are being set up with centres of excellence and technology platforms to provide capital infrastructure, to run prototyping, followed by testing and validation. Government has made a humble beginning, but the industry has to lead this to achieve our dream of becoming a manufacturing powerhouse.”
Mr Vikram Kirloskar, Past President, CII and Chairman and Managing Director, Kirloskar Systems, said, “To establish ourselves a place in the world and become competitive manufacturers, we need to scale up very fast. The market needs to be understood, making the value chain and supply chain competitive. We also need long term regulatory framework to reach global standards.”
Mr R Mukundan, Chairman, CII-Institute of Quality Advisory Council; CII National Committee on Environment and Industrial Relations and Managing Director & CEO, Tata Chemicals Limited, said, “Growth of Indian manufacturing will transform our country.As India gears up to celebrate 75 years of independence, it is critical now that we set out to new India that is an economically and technologically powerful nation with manufacturing taking the centre-stage.”
Mr Vinod Sharma, Chairman, CII National Committee on ICTE Manufacturing, Managing Director, Deki Electronics Limited, said, “We are still largely an assembly country, and we need to move to real manufacturing. Different companies are coming onboard and are investing in manufacturing, which is gratifying as we have convinced these companies of the potential of India to come to the manufacturing sector.”
11 August 2021