Johannesburg: The ‘Make in India’ campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been widely welcomed by the South African business sector which is eager to create more bilateral trade opportunities.
Heads of Indian missions in South Africa shared the ambitious plan at a briefing in Johannesburg.
Addressing concerns that the South African government’s approval of an industrial development action plan could be seen as competition for India’s campaign, Consul General of India, Randhir Jaiswal said, “But then every country is looking for investment to grow, so the whole idea would be to determine which areas India and South Africa could collaborate on so that both countries could benefit.”
“For example, South Africa has an elaborate plan to stretch its renewable energy programme, while we in India want to see ourselves as manufacturing all the equipment that goes into creating renewable energy at a fraction of the cost.â€
“As the manufacturing sector in India grows, there will be many synergies which South African business can latch onto,” he added.
Jaiswal added the agricultural sector in Limpopo province had a lot of opportunity to cooperate with India in the small and medium enterprise food industries there, where India could add value.
Raman Dhawan, who recently retired after building up Tata’s presence in Africa for several decades, said it was “a great day” to hear about the “Make in India” plan.
“I believe that a company producing all-purpose vehicles here could easily do so in India as well and thereby we could reduce their cost and expand their market,” said Dhawan.
Robert Appelbaum, the Head of the South Asia Group welcomed the new plan to streamline the licensing and regulatory environment which had frustrated him in the past.
Explaining why he held up hope for the ‘Make in India’ plan and its shift from red tape to a red carpet for investors, Appelbaum related how he had personally experienced the administrators of Gujarat state achieving miracles in a short time in Gujarat.
“That for me was the start of the incredible economic revival in Gujarat and is now the story of India. I have met many Indian leaders, but the most direct and down-to-earth was Chief Minister Modi,” he said.
“The slow lawyers are now great lawyers; old Mumbai airport is now probably the best in the world for me today; and a succession of corrupt ruling coalitions has been stopped and finally been replaced by one single strong party with sufficient majority to get the things done.â€
“Prime Minister Modi has decided that India must become a serious manufacturing hub and all I can say is: God help the fool who tries to interfere with that,” Appelbaum concluded.