India: The preferred destination of the West to replace China (2024)

India: The preferred destination of the West to replace China (1)

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Zubair Chopra India: The preferred destination of the West to replace China (2)

Zubair Chopra

Head of Global Lead Development and Marketing @ Gardex India - A Global Leader in Manufacturing Tools I Executive Director at iTrack India - Simplifying Supply Chain

Published May 8, 2023

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Over the past few years, there has been a growing interest among the Western countries to shift their manufacturing base from China to other countries. With the ongoing trade war between the United States and China and the rising labor costs in China, many Western companies are looking for alternative manufacturing destinations that can offer competitive costs, skilled labor force, and business-friendly policies. In this regard, India is emerging as a perfect replacement to China as the global manufacturing hub for the West.

India and Vietnam both have been emerging as potential alternatives to China as global manufacturing hubs. Both countries offer several advantages such as low labor costs, business-friendly policies, and a large workforce. However, there are several reasons why India could be a better choice than Vietnam as a replacement for China's manufacturing prowess:

  • India has a much larger market potential compared to Vietnam. With a population of +1.3 billion people, India presents a massive opportunity for companies. The growing middle class in India has a high purchasing power, which can be a significant driver for demand. Vietnam, on the other hand, has a population of only around 97 million people.
  • India has a stronger legal system than Vietnam. India has a well-established and independent judiciary, which ensures the protection of property rights and intellectual property rights of foreign investors. Vietnam, on the other hand, has a less established legal system, a cause of concern for foreign investors.
  • India has a more diverse range of industries and sectors, making it a more versatile manufacturing hub. India has a strong presence in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, textiles, and software development. Vietnam, on the other hand, is primarily known for its manufacturing of electronic goods and textiles.
  • India has a much larger pool of skilled and semi-skilled labor compared to Vietnam. The Indian education system produces a large number of graduates in engineering, science, and management, which can provide a skilled workforce to the manufacturing sector. Vietnam has a less developed system, which could be a hindrance to the availability of skilled labor.
  • Chinese companies are ramping up their presence in Vietnam, however, face big issues i.e. communication gaps in labor. This is due to the work force being brought in from Cambodia and Thailand, who do not speak the same language as the Chinese or Vietnamese. One classic example of what can go wrong in this scenario is the massive recall the Easy-Strike factory in Vietnam had recently with the worlds biggest tools brand due to quality issues.
  • India has been focusing on improving its infrastructure over the past few years. The Indian government has been investing heavily in developing road networks, ports, airports, and other forms of transportation. This has improved connectivity within the country and with other countries, making it easier for manufacturers to import raw materials and export finished products.
  • Factories in India are rapidly improving and almost at par with Chinese factories. Indian companies have been investing significantly in capacity expansion, quality of infrastructure and industry 4.0 equipment across the board. The capabilities have expanded, something missing earlier, which prompted the West to stick with China. However, the scenario has changed with some Indian manufacturers now capable of producing better end product and service in comparison to China & Vietnam.

In conclusion, while Vietnam offers several advantages as a manufacturing hub, India could be a better choice for Western countries looking to shift their manufacturing base from China. India's larger market potential, stronger legal system, versatile range of industries, larger pool of skilled labor, and improving infrastructure make it an attractive destination for manufacturers. As global supply chains continue to shift, India is slowly emerging as the smarter choice and the new manufacturing powerhouse of the world.

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Faisal Khalid

Technology Executive - Transforming Organizations to High Growth Through Technology, Business Strategy, and Servant Leadership.

9mo

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I would be interested in thoughts on - how is this form of digital currency different than crypto?

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Haseeb Faquih

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Keep the articles flowing makes interesting reading.

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Sameer Khatri

Managing Director- India & Regional Director- ISC

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Wonderful! Keep it up Zubair.

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India: The preferred destination of the West to replace China (2024)

FAQs

Is India going to replace China? ›

India's economy will likely grow steadily at 6.5-7 percent over the long term, but the country is “far from replacing” rival and manufacturing powerhouse China, Morgan Stanley's Chetan Ahya told Bloomberg in an interview.

Why India's path forward is likely to be different from China's? ›

Worsening trade relations between the West and China only helps its case. But India's path forward is likely to look very different—and more challenging—than China's. While its labor resources are, in theory, plentiful, a host of barriers still make it difficult to connect workers with employers.

Which country is better India or China? ›

India's exports-to-GDP ratio has exceeded China's since 2021 and also the country's services trade intensity far for both exports and imports, said the 'New DHL Global Connectedness Report 2024' by DHL and New York University's Stern School of Business, released here.

What makes India different from China? ›

India's history is a series of many invading foreign forces that have all added to the current diversity and culture of the country. China's history is a series of dynasties and ruling families that fought for power. Historically, China has been less influenced by the West.

Which country can replace China? ›

The country is attracting a growing share of smartphone production, but its structural weaknesses, such as poverty, are an obstacle. 4 min. India continues to expand its impressive portfolio of major announcements.

Which countries can replace China? ›

In this uncertain trade environment, a growing number of countries are hopeful that they could replace China as the world's next major manufacturing hub.
  • 1 – Vietnam. ...
  • 2 – Mexico. ...
  • 3 – India. ...
  • 4 – Malaysia. ...
  • 5 – Singapore.

Can India overtake US economy? ›

If high growth rates can be sustained, India is expected to overtake the US and become the world's second-largest economy by 2075. Can India sustain a high growth rate? There are two contrasting views on this, optimistic and pessimistic, and both views are well-grounded and backed by hard facts.

Why India is so dependent on China? ›

India's depends on China for the supply of a wide range of products, from the simplest of products like nails/tacks and umbrellas to sophisticated electronic products and pharmaceutical intermediates.

Will India remain way behind China? ›

The report that Chinese dragon is way ahead of Indian elephant in terms of the respective future growth is not a myth since the statistics and the impact of China on Global economy can be very well observed. In order to match the growth of China, the Indian elephant needs wings to fly else it will remain way behind.

Does India support Russia? ›

Russia and India, both, consider their mutual affinity to be a "special and privileged strategic partnership". Their governments support the creation of a multipolar world order in which both nations are "poles".

Which country is the best friend of India? ›

India's closest ally has traditionally been the United States. With each passing year, the bond between India and the USA has grown stronger. They both supported the principles of respecting human rights, treating all citizens equally, and applying the law fairly.

Is India considered a third world country? ›

Second and third-world countries can be described as developing or underdeveloped countries. These countries face many challenges in their growth and development—for example – China, Russia, Romania, Czech Republic. At the same time, the third-world countries are Brazil, Mexico, India, Argentina, Cambodia, etc. 3.

Is China cleaner than India? ›

Last year, 65 of the 100 most polluted cities were in India, while China had just 16, according to IQAir. Previously, it was China that dominated the list: In 2017, about three-quarters of IQAir's tally of the world's most polluted cities were in China, while 17 were in India.

What is the biggest difference between India and China? ›

While China is governed under communist rule ; India is democratic Republic. China obeys one party and person in chief, while India has system of multiple parties. you might know that India is the largest democracy on the planet, China on the other hand is one of the largest communist state in the world.

Is India an ally of the US? ›

Since 2014, strategic cooperation between the two nations has deepened and India was declared a "Major Defense Partner" of the United States. India and the United States have also stepped up their cooperation among multilateral groups such as The Quad and I2U2 Group.

Will India be as powerful as China? ›

In Bloomberg Economics' base case scenario, India's economy will accelerate to 9 per cent by the end of the decade, while China will slow to 3.5 per cent. That puts India on course to overtake China as the world's biggest growth driver by 2028.

Will India surpass China? ›

India to overtake China as world's most populous country in April 2023, United Nations projects | United Nations.

Is India in conflict with China? ›

The Sino–Indian border dispute is an ongoing territorial dispute over the sovereignty of two relatively large, and several smaller, separated pieces of territory between China and India.

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