Sridhar Vembu praises Tirupur-Coimbatore as manufacturing hub

Sridhar Vembu, founder of Zoho, recently praised the manufacturing strength of the Tirupur-Coimbatore belt in Tamil Nadu. He described the area as a crucial site for learning about manufacturing in India. Vembu shared his observations on X, noting the presence of numerous factories throughout the region. He emphasized the importance of studying this industrial corridor closely. Vembu believes that the lessons learned from Tirupur-Coimbatore can help improve manufacturing across the country. He mentioned the need for the region to move up the value chain and focus on research and development in manufacturing technology. Vembu's comments come as part of a growing discussion on India's evolving manufacturing landscape. He responded positively to news about mid-sized firms in Maharashtra and Gujarat that are now producing high-precision machines, previously imported from Germany. Vembu expressed excitement about visiting these companies, highlighting the importance of making advanced manufacturing more affordable. India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has also spoken in support of the Make in India initiative. She highlighted that production-linked incentive schemes have attracted significant investments and created millions of jobs. Sitharaman counters claims of failure, asserting that domestic manufacturing has improved, particularly in the defense sector, where India has become a net exporter.