By US tariff on India: Industry Speaks
Ashok Gupta, Chairman, Optiemus Infracom
“We believe the tariff announcement can present a competitive opportunity in electronics manufacturing, Because India has advantage over tariff rates compared to other electronic manufacturing hub countries. We believe that this difference can create a significant competitive advantage and give India a better chance to catch up in making India a preferred destination for electronics manufacturing for global companies.”
Ashok Gupta, Chairman, Optiemus Infracom
Mahendra Nahata, Managing Director, HFCL
“The US tariff should be seen as a catalyst, not a constraint. This is India’s moment to amplify the ‘Make in India’ mission into an ‘Innovate in India’ revolution. While tariffs challenge cost structures, they also push us to redefine our role in the global telecom supply chain. Instead of just assembling components, we must embed higher value—designing AI-driven solutions, patenting energy-efficient technologies, and exporting finished innovations aligned with global priorities like climate resilience. The telecom sector, for instance, can pivot to manufacturing advanced green infrastructure (e.g., solar-powered 5G Radios or Wi-Fi Solutions) or AI-optimized network tools that directly support US decarbonization and tech leadership goals. If we position India as a partner in solving global challenges, sector-specific tariff relief could follow, rewarding innovation over arbitrage.”
Mahendra Nahata, Managing Director, HFCL
