Manufacture in India, Build for the World: :FM Sitharaman
Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has called upon global investors to establish manufacturing bases, technology centres and innovation hubs in India, positioning the country as a strategic platform for serving global markets. Addressing a high-level Business Roundtable with investors and business leaders in Chicago, she highlighted India’s economic growth, reform momentum, skilled workforce, infrastructure and expanding investment opportunities.
The Finance Minister emphasised that India’s investment proposition is supported by the convergence of scale, talent, technology, infrastructure and sustained policy reforms. She urged global companies to move beyond viewing India solely as a consumer market and instead consider it a long-term manufacturing, innovation and investment base.
The meeting focused on the vision of “Manufacture in India — for India and for the world”, covering sectors such as manufacturing, artificial intelligence and digital technologies, financial services, infrastructure, food processing and advanced technologies. Sitharaman encouraged international partners to pursue co-development and co-production opportunities while leveraging India’s engineering capabilities and manufacturing ecosystem.
She also highlighted India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, including Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, ONDC and India Stack, as a foundation for developing higher-value businesses. Emerging opportunities in artificial intelligence, engineering, analytics, product development, semiconductors and electronics were identified as key areas for future growth.
The Minister further highlighted the role of GIFT City as an international financial centre connecting global capital with Indian opportunities. She also pointed to infrastructure development, food processing, logistics, cold chains and advanced technology as areas offering significant investment potential.
The policy approach reflects the broader objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat, strengthening domestic capabilities while integrating Indian manufacturing and innovation with global value chains. With global supply chains undergoing restructuring, India is seeking to strengthen its position as a competitive, reliable and technology-driven manufacturing and investment destination.
Governance Significance
The initiative underscores the government’s focus on attracting foreign investment, strengthening domestic manufacturing, promoting technology-led growth, generating employment and enhancing India’s participation in global value chains. The emphasis on “manufacture in India and build for the world” represents a shift towards globally competitive production, innovation and export-oriented economic development.
