Global networking giant Cisco on Wednesday announced it will start manufacturing in India, with an aim to drive more than $1 billion in combined domestic production and exports in the coming years by offering a robust and secure device ecosystem.

The company will start manufacturing routers and network switches in India, to begin with, to create an even more diverse and resilient global supply chain and support India’s vision of becoming a global manufacturing hub.

“The manufacturing move is aligned with the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. We are bullish on the Indian market and will tap into the country’s vast pool of talent in order to create a more secure and seamless experience for our customers while making India an export hub for the future,” Maria Martinez, Chief Operating Officer, Cisco, told IANS.

Cisco is now building core manufacturing capabilities in India, including testing, development and logistics, and expanding in-house repair operations.

In addition to supporting supply chain resiliency, reducing lead times, and elevating the customer experience, this will add further impetus to the local economy, according to the company.

“We are announcing strategic investments in Indian manufacturing capabilities as the next step in delivering cutting-edge technologies to our customers in India and across the globe,” said Chuck Robbins, chair and CEO of Cisco.

“Fueled by a rapidly developing digital economy, India is a focal point of innovation and business for Cisco, and we remain deeply committed to our partnerships here,” he added.

Robbins met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, among others.

“India is of strategic importance for Cisco, and we continue to bet on India. Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone to power the next phase of growth for Cisco. This investment will enable us to bring state-of-the-art technologies to more people and businesses and help accelerate India’s transition into a leading digital economy,” said Daisy Chittilapilly, President, of Cisco India and SAARC.

(Source IANS)