Cisco's Chambers talks 'Make in India' with PM Modi

NEW DELHI: Announcing about $60 million investments for India, Cisco CEO and Chairman John Chambers today met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed the 'Digital India' and 'Make in India' initiatives of the government.

"I was amazed at his understanding of technology and the dream of a Digital India," Chambers said.

He also said that the company plans to invest $20 million in training 120,000 students under Cisco Networking Academy for jobs in a digital economy; and another $40 million for the expansion of their development centers to a Cisco Smart City where employees work, play and learn, over the next five years in India.

While most of the discussions covered a range of issues from smart cities to skill development to building the national network, Chambers added: "The Prime Minister also talked about Cisco's plans for manufacturing in India".

Not ruling out local manufacturing under Modi's pet project 'Make in India', keeping in mind the growing market here, Chambers said that "we need to take one step at a time and there is need to work on manufacturing ecosystem, tax laws, physical infrastructure."

"We have given our recommendations to the Government and the good thing is they are willing to change," said Chambers.

Meanwhile, Chambers also introduced the incoming CEO Chuck Robbins.

To push digital adoption in the manufacturing sector and also help its own supplier ecosystem get a sense of the Indian market, Robbins announced that Cisco is organizing its Design and Innovation conference in Bengaluru in February next year.

Cisco, which did business worth $1.1 billion in India last year, expects to achieve a double digit growth this year. "From cautiously optimistic one year back, we are incredibly optimistic today" Chambers said.