Yogabumi is making giant economic strides. Will spiritual renaissance follow?

[Guest guest]

" The Made-in-India tag is making a global splash. The housewives

need not fret anymore. And we are not talking here of information

technology (IT), business process outsourcing (BPO) or an abstract

feel-good factor centered on Indian film actress Aishwaria Rai being

branded as the most beautiful woman in the world.

 

We are looking at the segment of Indian industry that matters the

most for any economy, but which is always considered with suspicion

in India - manufacturing. IT helped India to achieve global

recognition. Now, 2 million trained engineers in the country are

bringing Indian products to the fore - many manufacturing companies

are growing at 40 percent.

 

First the facts - from biscuits and vegetarian products to

automobiles and pharmaceuticals, Indian-produced goods are breaking

new frontiers. Business papers are agog with reports of the export

growth of cars, cigarettes, tobacco and motorcycles that have topped

50 percent this fiscal year. There has been a huge shift away from

Indian manufacturing exports largely restricted to components. Data

from various sources reveal that the export of finished consumer

goods is making rapid strides. Automobiles, consumer durables,

drugs, IT hardware and fast moving consumer goods are all clocking

double-digit revenue growth in the international market.

 

Recently, five Indian companies bagged the globally acclaimed Deming

prize, a touchstone for quality manufacturing. This prize is given

to an organization for rigorous total quality management (TQM)

practices. China is yet to receive such an honor. Eight more Indian

companies are preparing for Deming recognition in 2004.

 

In addition, the Japanese Institute of Plant Management has rewarded

18 manufacturing plants in 10 Indian companies for excelling in

total productive maintenance this year. World-renowned TQM expert

Yasutoshi Washio predicts that Indian manufacturing quality will

overtake that in Japan in 2013.

 

The United States, Europe and Japan are seeking outsourcing

opportunities through manufacturing supply chains from India. Toyota

is establishing India as a source for transmission parts. Ford is

sourcing engines from Hindustan Motors. Yamaha and Mitsubishi have

announced plans to make India a global sourcing hub for 125cc

motorcycles. Volvo, Renault and Mack Truck want to develop Indian

vendors for their global requirements. US retail chain Wal-Mart,

through its global outsourcing office in Bangalore, will increase

outsourcing from India from the current US$1 billion to $10 billion

in the next couple of years. It is looking at sourcing paints,

automotive goods, sports goods, lawn and garden equipment and

hardware, among others. Honeywell, a $22 billion technology and

manufacturing company, is finalizing its outsourcing strategy for

aerospace products and services. Siemens of Germany has committed

$500 million in investments soon.

 

Perhaps the most revealing figures have been thrown up by the

automobile sector, where passenger car exports jumped 72.9 percent,

with volumes fast approaching 100,000 units. Scooters recorded a

marginal 2 percent rise in domestic sales, but exports jumped 91.2

percent in the April-December period. Exports of motorcycles have

also spurted 52.6 percent, with volumes surpassing 100,000 units in

the first nine months of the fiscal. "

 

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/FB06Df01.html