Cisco’s CEO Chuck Robbins makes new commitment to India, including domestic manufacturing plans
India has become an attractive hub for global technology leaders looking to invest in creating a global manufacturing base. Following Apple’s CEO Tim Cook, Cisco Chair and CEO Chuck Robbins has announced plans to establish a global manufacturing base in India to streamline supply chain constraints, creating multiple job opportunities. During his India tour, Robbins met with various ministers, including the PM, to discuss an ambitious plan to start domestic manufacturing and explore 5G and AI partnerships.
Cisco has thrived in India over the past 27 years, acquiring companies and completing over 100 projects in various sectors such as smart cities, defense, healthcare and more. The networking giant has set up its largest center outside the US and aims to positively impact 50 million lives by 2025 through strategic partnerships with the government and small to medium businesses.
“Our bet on India 27 years ago has paid off significantly. The physical and digital infrastructure improvements are astounding, and there’s a clear momentum and ambition in the country. The pace of growth is impressive, especially given the current global situation. As we continue to invest in India’s digital economy, we believe it will create a significant number of jobs and contribute greatly to the GDP. For Cisco and other multinational companies, India represents the biggest growth opportunity over the next decade, and we’re excited to be a part of its strong and growing tech startup ecosystem,” says Chuck Robbins, Chair and CEO, Cisco.
Robbins further affirms, “We’re launching global full-scale manufacturing in India, with an expected output of over a billion dollars in the first year. Our plan is to use this as a global manufacturing node to export to Europe and beyond. We’re excited to launch two of our highest volume product lines in India, including a switching platform and a cutting-edge routing platform at the core of 5G network infrastructure. In fact, one of our ecosystem suppliers has already moved here as well. We’re committed to India’s growth and plan to recruit more ecosystem partners to create a presence here, which we believe is not only good for us but also for India’s economy.”
