Why factory floors, not software parks, are crucial to India's growth

If India is to become a manufacturing powerhouse it will need to make things easier for people like Nikhil Nanda, joint managing director of Escorts Ltd, a Delhi-based tractor maker.

The company self-generates up to 40 percent of its power, scrambles to find and retain staff to operate increasingly sophisticated machinery, and must ride herd over a stretched supply chain struggling to keep up with demand - all typical of challenges faced by the country's manufacturers.

"It's very difficult to find skilled labour," Nanda said.

"In terms of forgings, in terms of castings, you have tyre shortages ... we are working very, very closely with the supply chain in requesting them to enhance their capacity and then you have so many players who are going after one supplier or four suppliers for the same issue," he said.

Text: Tony Munroe and Abhijit Neogy, Reuters

Image Courtesy: Escorts