NEW DELHI: Cisco, a global technology leader, announced it will start manufacturing in India, a major step in the expansion of its footprint in the country. It aims to drive more than $1 billion in combined domestic production and exports in the coming years.
Cisco said it is a part of the company’s strategy to create an even more diverse and resilient global supply chain and support India’s vision of becoming a global manufacturing hub.
The creation of a new manufacturing operation was announced by Cisco chairman and CEO Chuck Robbins in New Delhi, following a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and a series of strategic engagements with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, Union Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics and Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, NITI Aayog CEO B V R Subrahmanyam and Telecom Secretary K Rajaraman on Thursday.
“…we are announcing strategic investments in Indian manufacturing capabilities as the next step in delivering cutting-edge technologies to our customers in India and across the globe”, Chuck Robbins said. “Fueled by a rapidly developing digital economy, India is a focal point of innovation and business for Cisco, and we remain deeply committed to our partnerships here”, he added.
Cisco is now building core manufacturing capabilities in India, including testing, development and logistics, and expanding in-house repair operations. In addition to supporting supply chain resiliency, reducing lead times and elevating customer experience, this will add further impetus to the local economy.
“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,” said Daisy Chittilapilly, president, of Cisco India & SAARC.
India is a key market for Cisco and it has its second largest R&D centre outside the US. It commenced operations in India in 1995. (ANI)