Make In India: Aftermath Of The Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has thrown in a new set of challenges for the ‘Make in India’ national program. On the brighter side, it has also given birth to a whole new set of opportunities.

- Ashish Bhatia

Under the ‘Make in India’ national program, the Government of India aspires to facilitate investment, foster innovation, enhance skill development and build best-in-class manufacturing infrastructure. However, these aspirations were briefly jolted with the Covid-19 pandemic reaching our shores. The pandemic brought with it a whole new set of disruptions and required the country like the rest of the world to take a step back instead of a step forward. It forced a hard reboot! Some feared the worse and some were quick to call it nature’s trick to heal itself. In words of the Prime Minister, it was encouraging to see most workplaces try to riggle out with a majority taking the digital-first approach. This changed the contours of the professional approach. Digital was readily adopted by the auto components and allied industries in the country as they continue to exert all their might to keep the wheels of the economy rolling and making the best of the resources at hand under the dire circumstances. While the need for strict compliance to lockdown measures has made it challenging, the efforts of the industry send out a strong wave of optimism for a gradual but strong revival. Opined Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “With the world in pursuit of new business models, India, a youthful nation known for its innovative zeal can take the lead.” “Technology demolishes bureaucratic hierarchies, eliminates middlemen and accelerates welfare measures,” he added.

The new normal