Global technology giant Cisco is once again venturing into manufacturing in India, with ambitions to achieve over $1 billion in combined exports and domestic production in the coming years. During his visit to India, Cisco Chair and CEO Chuck Robbins made the announcement regarding the creation of a new manufacturing operation in the country.
According to Cisco, the manufacturing facility will produce the company’s cutting-edge technology solutions, designed to offer flexible and cost-effective delivery of next-generation services and applications, while also supporting complex cloud computing environments.
Daisy Chittilapilly, President of Cisco India and SAARC, emphasized India’s strategic significance to Cisco and the company’s commitment to the country. She stated, “India is of strategic importance for Cisco, and we continue to bet on India. Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone to power the next phase of growth for Cisco. This investment will enable us to bring state-of-the-art technologies to more people and businesses and help accelerate India’s transition into a leading digital economy.”
This is not Cisco’s first foray into manufacturing in India. In 2018, the company initiated manufacturing efforts in the country, focusing primarily on the domestic production of Cisco products. However, these production lines were eventually closed due to inconsistent demand and a lack of a supporting ecosystem. With this new initiative, Cisco aims to emphasize manufacturing for both the Indian and global markets and intends to build a local supplier ecosystem.
Before announcing the “Make in India” initiative, Chuck Robbins held meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and engaged in strategic discussions with key Indian officials, including Dr. S. Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister; Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Union Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics & Technology; B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, the CEO of NITI Aayog; and K. Rajaraman, the Telecom Secretary.
This renewed commitment to manufacturing in India highlights Cisco’s recognition of the country’s potential as a vital hub for technology production and export, contributing to India’s aspirations to become a prominent player in the global digital economy.
