3 days ago
Opinion: India is ready — are we? Why Utah should be doubling down on India
India isn't just rising — it's ready. After two weeks on the ground meeting with innovation hubs, manufacturing leaders and government partners from Mumbai to Hyderabad, it's clear that India isn't just a market to watch — it's the market to be in. Across sectors including medtech, aerospace, e-mobility and agriculture, India is demonstrating rapid growth, a collaborative spirit and serious ambition.
With a government laser-focused on becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2029, a swelling consumer base and strong educational and research infrastructure, this is not just a timely moment but also a promising one for Utah companies to engage meaningfully with India.
What stood out most is how embedded innovation is at every level of India's economy. At Hyderabad's T-Hub, the country's largest innovation campus, I met startups working on everything from 360-degree flight simulators for the eVTOL market to cutting-edge healthcare diagnostics. At the Atal Innovation Center - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (AIC-CCMB), a biotech incubator based in Hyderabad's Pharma Hub, I saw how India is cultivating life sciences companies like Startoon Labs, which developed an FDA-cleared wearable patch for muscle diagnostics — a device physical therapists in the United States could start using tomorrow.
India isn't developing abstract research and development concepts. These are real, export-ready technologies with teams behind them who are eager to collaborate. In fact, AIC-CCMB signed a memorandum of understanding with T-Hub to launch a life sciences program by June. More importantly, they expressed interest in forming a corridor between T-Hub and the Utah Innovation Fund to accelerate cross-border growth. We also met with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay and its innovation arms to explore collaboration opportunities with Utah universities, which is another step toward building long-term academic and commercial ties.
It's time to shelve outdated assumptions about Indian manufacturing. From touring facilities of electrical component makers for India's fast-growing electric rail market to visiting high-quality e-bike producers like EMotorad in the city of Pune, I saw production lines that rival those in Utah. E-Motorad, for instance, is in talks to become a white-label supplier for some of America's largest big-box retailers. This presents a prime opportunity for U.S. manufacturers looking to diversify their supply chains outside of China.
In conversations with India's national investment agency, Invest India, I learned they provide hands-on support — at no cost — for international companies looking to manufacture locally. That level of partnership, especially when backed by a pro-business government, is a game-changer for companies eyeing India as a production base to serve South Asia, the Gulf and even Africa.
What makes these opportunities particularly real is the level of government engagement. Maharashtra, India's most industrialized state, accounts for nearly 40% of the country's GDP. World Trade Center Utah is working to open discussions with its chief minister for a business trip this November. That level of access could unlock opportunities in finance, aerospace, clean energy and more.
I also had valuable discussions with the U.S. Commercial Service, which underscored the scale of India's medtech, aerospace and defense ecosystems. Major players like Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Safran are already there. As India ramps up its domestic capabilities through Make in India, it's encouraging strategic partnerships, not just contracts.
This trip reinforced what many are starting to recognize: India isn't 'next.' It's now.
If we want to help Utah companies stay globally competitive, we need to double down on our relationship with India — through innovation corridors, joint ventures, university and cultural partnerships, and bilateral business delegations.
India is open for business and eager for partners who are in it for the long haul.
World Trade Center Utah is returning in November. Join us.
