Cisco: India remains a key market; hopes US-India deal is concluded soon

Cisco plans to expand investments in India, underscoring that the country remains one of its most important markets, while expressing hope that a long-awaited trade agreement between India and the United States is concluded soon.

Speaking at CNBC-TV18's Gateway to India Leadership Corridor event, Cisco Chair and CEO Chuck Robbins said India continues to offer strong long-term growth opportunities for the networking giant across manufacturing, engineering and semiconductor design.

Robbins said the company's manufacturing footprint in India is expanding, with a growing share of output being exported to global markets. Cisco also intends to deepen investments in engineering capabilities and digital skills development as it scales its presence in the country.

Referring to the pending India-US trade deal, Robbins said Cisco's commitment to India does not depend on the agreement being finalised.

"The opportunity exists independent of that. India is moving forward. The growth is here, the commitment to the technology is here," he said.

Cisco entered India in 1995 and has steadily broadened its operations beyond talent hiring and engineering services into chip design and manufacturing. Robbins said the company has also made significant investments in digital skilling, training more than one million students in India over the past year to prepare them for technology-focused careers.

Cisco turns India into an export hub

Robbins said Cisco changed its manufacturing strategy after earlier efforts failed to achieve scale. Instead of making a single product for the Indian market, the company expanded the range of products manufactured in the country and began using India as an export base.

“Our plan was to expand well beyond one product, and then also... use it as an export hub,” Robbins said.

More than half of the products Cisco manufactures in India are exported, he added. The company now makes six product lines in the country.

Cisco looks to build local supplier network

Cisco's next priority is to develop a stronger network of local suppliers to support more advanced manufacturing, Robbins said.

He noted that one of the company's products made in India contains nearly 30,000 components, highlighting the scale of the supplier ecosystem needed to expand production.

“We continue to work together to try to bring some of that ecosystem into India,” Robbins said. A stronger local supplier base could reduce logistics costs, improve efficiency and support India's manufacturing ambitions.

Robbins said Cisco would welcome greater certainty on trade between India and the United States. However, he maintained that the company's Indian operations and the country's technology-led growth could continue regardless of when a bilateral trade agreement is finalised.

For the full interview, watch the accompanying video

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