With tariffs rising and China becoming a trickier manufacturing partner, many American importers are looking to India. In this episode, we explore the manufacturing landscape in South India, especially when it comes to sourcing PCB assemblies. You’ll gain first-hand insights from a recent trip and learn what makes India both promising and challenging.
In addition, we discuss U.S.-India Trade Relations in the context of the hot tariff war between the USA and China. Could India be a beneficiary and a good option for American businesses to pivot to?
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Episode sections
- [00:00] — Intro: Why India Is on the Radar for U.S. Importers
- [01:10] — Trade Show Trends and Shifting Attention
- [03:52] — A Visit to Bangalore: Local Insights
- [05:27] — PCBA Landscape: Smaller, Manual, but Growing
- [09:27] — Government Clients Dominate, but Consumer Work Emerging
- [12:35] — Lead vs. Lead-Free Soldering: Exporters Take Lead-Free Route
- [14:41] — Indian Customs Challenges: Real or Overblown?
- [16:32] — Overall Impressions of Bangalore/Southern India as a Manufacturing Base
- [18:04] — U.S.-India Trade Relations: Opportunity Rising
- [23:41] — The Tariff Game: Geopolitical Leverage
- [27:54] — Challenges India Must Overcome to Scale Up
- [35:36] — The Rise of the Indian Wider Ecosystem
- [37:59] — Wrapping up
Related content…
- Bangalore PCBA Suppliers (Ground Level Insights – April 2025)
- India Has a Golden Opportunity to Capture U.S. Business From China (WSJ)
- Vance and Modi meet in New Delhi to discuss trade deal and avoid US tariffs
- Read all of our blog posts about India
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