For a long time, India has relied on the service sector for growth. To create jobs for India’s working-age population, which is 64 per cent of its total population, the country needs to focus on manufacturing-driven growth. Furthermore, the ‘Make in India’ campaign will enable the country to meet the targets envisaged in the National Manufacturing Policy, which aims to create 100 million manufacturing jobs and raise manufacturing’s contribution to GDP from 16 per cent today to 25 per cent by 2022. The ‘Make in India’ campaign is therefore a welcome move.

The launch of the ‘Make in India’ campaign has led to renewed business confidence as policymakers firm up plans to increase the attractiveness of India as a manufacturing hub and set the country on a growth path by creating jobs on a massive scale.

Rolls-Royce, with a legacy of over 80 years in India, supports this progressive initiative as it will not only help Indian industries become globally competitive but will also allow companies like us to further support the country’s modernisation needs. However, for the campaign to succeed, hurdles such as infrastructure bottlenecks, environmental clearances and unfriendly tax regime need to be removed to create a level-playing field for manufacturing in the country vis-à-vis imports.

At Rolls-Royce, we are committed to delivering the government’s vision of positioning India as a global manufacturing hub. We already have 1,000 local engineers working in India through outsourced agreements and have world-class manufacturing facilities here, exporting components around the world. We now need to extend this experience into defence, beyond today’s licensed production. Going forward, we are passionate about making India a hub for Rolls-Royce defence engineering, manufacturing and export as it will not only help create jobs but also supports India to achieve strategic self-reliance.

In order to boost manufacturing, the supply base of component and materials needs to be improved, demand accelerated, besides overcoming challenges like developing adequate infrastructure, providing skilled manpower and simplifying procedural and regulatory formalities.

The International Aerospace Manufacturing Pvt Ltd (IAMPL), a joint venture between the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Rolls-Royce that produces components for the technologically advanced Trent family of civil aero wasn’t required by an offset commitment. It was the result of recognition of the value that both parties could add to each other. Today, the IAMPL production facility represents another commitment to the long-standing partnership with HAL and the future of Indian aerospace industry.

The new government has already led to tremendous positivity for progress, and we are already witnessing an improvement in macro-economic factors including improving GDP, control on inflation and surge of the stock market. The ‘Make in India’ programme will further build on this momentum and push India towards greater heights.

At Rolls-Royce, we are well poised to cater to the growth opportunities available in the India region. We look forward to continue to offer India a unique combination of technology, experience and innovation that can help to improve the capability of our customers.

The writer is President for India and South Asia, Rolls-Royce.