It began with quiet optimism. Veteran investor Shankar Sharma found himself in a cramped workshop tucked inside a Mumbai slum. On offer: sleek, catalogue-style gym equipment — proudly “custom-made”.
“We are on the cusp of a manufacturing boom finally,” he remembered thinking.
But the moment didn’t last.
“I asked, ‘You can really make me this?’” Sharma wrote on X. “He said: ‘Sir, I import from China and assemble it here. Their quality, finish, look, is simply unmatchable.’”
That reply cut through the buzz surrounding India’s manufacturing potential. “True story of yesterday,” Sharma added. For many, it’s the story of today.
Beyond the surface: A dependence on imports
Though small, Sharma’s exchange triggered a large reaction online. His post resonated with hundreds who shared their own frustrations. Beneath the slogans of ‘ Make in India’ and ‘China+1’, the reality, many say, hasn’t changed much.
“I think it’s time for the world to change their adversarial approach to China. Just accept it. They beat everyone,” one user replied.
Another chimed in: “We can’t even make everyday items like nail clippers, luggage, or bathroom weighing scales to the quality that China does. Cars and electronics toh door ki baat hai.”
The frustration runs deep. India, despite its growing ambitions, still leans heavily on Chinese imports — not just for smartphones or solar panels, but even for basic household goods.
A global opening but are we ready?
Sharma’s post lands at a time when India is being talked up as a serious contender in global supply chains. This shift began during the COVID-19 pandemic and picked up speed amid rising tensions between the United States and China.
Now, with U.S. tariffs on Chinese exports reaching as high as 145%, and India exempt from Washington’s new reciprocal duty rules, the timing seems perfect. The global market is clearly searching for alternatives to China.
But the ground beneath Indian factories tells a more sobering tale.
Factory floors shrinking under regulations
A major bottleneck lies not in machinery or manpower, but in land. According to a study by Prosperiti, cited in the Economic Survey 2023–24, India’s complex building codes are turning factory plots into bureaucratic puzzles.
From rigid setbacks to mandatory parking spaces and floor space limits, small manufacturers are often forced to give up the majority of their usable land. In some states, the loss can be as high as 90% of the plot area.
This makes it incredibly difficult for small factories to run efficiently or scale up operations. Compared to regions like Singapore, Hong Kong, or even the Philippines, where industrial land is used far more intelligently, India is falling behind — boxed in by its own rules.
Reform or remain stuck
The Economic Survey makes the point plainly: unlocking India’s manufacturing potential will require more than capital injections or tax breaks. It calls for deep reform in land use and factory regulation — the kind that allows businesses to grow, not shrink.
Until then, as Sharma’s moment in that Mumbai workshop shows, India’s factories may continue stitching together ambition using Chinese-made parts.
The dream of becoming the world’s next great manufacturing hub? It’s still a work in progress — and one that, for now, depends on more than just hope.
“We are on the cusp of a manufacturing boom finally,” he remembered thinking.
But the moment didn’t last.
“I asked, ‘You can really make me this?’” Sharma wrote on X. “He said: ‘Sir, I import from China and assemble it here. Their quality, finish, look, is simply unmatchable.’”
That reply cut through the buzz surrounding India’s manufacturing potential. “True story of yesterday,” Sharma added. For many, it’s the story of today.
Yesterday, I went to a slum area in Bombay, to get a special leg work out machine crafted.
— Shankar Sharma (@1shankarsharma) April 13, 2025
The guy was sitting in a grimy, cluttered shop with lathes, drills, etc. Showed me a catalog and said " I can deliver you such stuff". They were amazing looking, top quality. I happily…
Beyond the surface: A dependence on imports
Though small, Sharma’s exchange triggered a large reaction online. His post resonated with hundreds who shared their own frustrations. Beneath the slogans of ‘ Make in India’ and ‘China+1’, the reality, many say, hasn’t changed much.
“I think it’s time for the world to change their adversarial approach to China. Just accept it. They beat everyone,” one user replied.
Another chimed in: “We can’t even make everyday items like nail clippers, luggage, or bathroom weighing scales to the quality that China does. Cars and electronics toh door ki baat hai.”
The frustration runs deep. India, despite its growing ambitions, still leans heavily on Chinese imports — not just for smartphones or solar panels, but even for basic household goods.
A global opening but are we ready?
Sharma’s post lands at a time when India is being talked up as a serious contender in global supply chains. This shift began during the COVID-19 pandemic and picked up speed amid rising tensions between the United States and China.
Now, with U.S. tariffs on Chinese exports reaching as high as 145%, and India exempt from Washington’s new reciprocal duty rules, the timing seems perfect. The global market is clearly searching for alternatives to China.
But the ground beneath Indian factories tells a more sobering tale.
Factory floors shrinking under regulations
A major bottleneck lies not in machinery or manpower, but in land. According to a study by Prosperiti, cited in the Economic Survey 2023–24, India’s complex building codes are turning factory plots into bureaucratic puzzles.
From rigid setbacks to mandatory parking spaces and floor space limits, small manufacturers are often forced to give up the majority of their usable land. In some states, the loss can be as high as 90% of the plot area.
This makes it incredibly difficult for small factories to run efficiently or scale up operations. Compared to regions like Singapore, Hong Kong, or even the Philippines, where industrial land is used far more intelligently, India is falling behind — boxed in by its own rules.
Reform or remain stuck
The Economic Survey makes the point plainly: unlocking India’s manufacturing potential will require more than capital injections or tax breaks. It calls for deep reform in land use and factory regulation — the kind that allows businesses to grow, not shrink.
Until then, as Sharma’s moment in that Mumbai workshop shows, India’s factories may continue stitching together ambition using Chinese-made parts.
The dream of becoming the world’s next great manufacturing hub? It’s still a work in progress — and one that, for now, depends on more than just hope.
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