In these trying times, when the anti-China sentiment both on personal as well as professional fronts is rampant, importing Chinese products seems like a harakiri. While it is a not so well-populated fact, however most of our automotive tools or even components are manufactured in China. Sadly enough, there seems to be little or no time to start making these tools here. While we say slogans or become keyboard warriors and raise anti-China awareness, the sad fact remains that we still haven’t been able to boycott products from Beijing. For example, a recent Chinese smartphone that had gone on sale was sold out in less than a couple of hours. How we will remove the dependence on China is something that needs to be analysed at the higher levels. For now, Mahindra and Mahindra MD, Pawan Goenka tweeted that if all auto OEMs and tier 1 suppliers come together and reduce tooling as well as component imports by half in just three years, it will work wonders.
How to promote make in India? Like they say, charity begins at home. Can all Automotive OEMs and Tier I suppliers pledge to reduce component and tooling imports by half in 3 yrs. That will be 75,000 cars more manufacturing value addition. @siamindia @ACMAIndia @PiyushGoyal
— Pawan K Goenka (@GoenkaPk) June 20, 2020
Goenka continued and told that in this fashion, the value addition in this entire process will be 75,000 more cars. These will be made in India completely as well. However, certain Twitter users said that it is hard to get Chinese goods out of our system. This includes the fact that such tool rooms will require more space and if big companies like Mahindra support them, it will be viable. Many wanted the government to step in as well.
Goenka’s plea seems valid enough as in India when we start making tools as well as reduce import costs, the overall price of the cars will go down too. This in turn will benefit the customer sentiment and manufacturers might not have to resort to discounts to sell the cars. It definitely is food for thought!
