FM Sitharaman pitches ‘Manufacture in India’ to investors in Chicago

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has pitched India as a long-term investment and manufacturing destination to leading investors and business leaders in Chicago.

Addressing a high-level Business Roundtable on Friday, Sitharaman outlined the theme of “Manufacture in India — for India and for the world”, with opportunities spanning manufacturing, artificial intelligence and digital technology, financial services, infrastructure, food processing, defence and advanced technologies.

The finance minister presented the investment case under “Why India, Why Now”, pointing to strong domestic demand, investment-led growth, macroeconomic resilience, a deep talent pool and rapidly expanding digital and physical infrastructure.

“As global companies reassess supply chains and capital allocation, India offers not only scale as a market, but increasing depth as a long-term investment and operating platform,” she said.

India seeks bigger role in global supply chains

Sitharaman said the opportunity in Indian manufacturing is moving beyond assembly towards component manufacturing, engineering and advanced technologies, supported by policy measures such as the production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes.

“With global supply chains being reconfigured, India offers a compelling combination of a large domestic market and globally competitive manufacturing capabilities,” the finance ministry said in a statement.

She also highlighted infrastructure development—including dedicated freight corridors, railway modernisation, electrification and high-speed rail—as an area offering opportunities for engineering, technology, materials, specialised equipment and institutional capital.

The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), she said, provides a commercially driven platform for global investors to participate in India's infrastructure build-out.

AI, digital economy seen as next growth opportunity

The finance minister also pointed to India's digital public infrastructure, including Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, ONDC and India Stack, as platforms that have been built at population scale.

The next opportunity, according to Sitharaman, lies in moving up the value chain in AI, engineering, analytics, product development, semiconductors and electronics.

She said India's Global Capability Centres (GCCs) are increasingly evolving into global innovation hubs, creating opportunities for higher-value technology and research activities.

In financial services, Sitharaman highlighted GIFT International Financial Services Centre (GIFT IFSC) as an emerging international financial hub connecting global capital with Indian opportunities.

GIFT IFSC had 1,250 registered entities as of June 2026, with opportunities across banking, fund management, reinsurance, aircraft and ship leasing, sustainable finance and other cross-border services. She invited global financial institutions to explore GIFT City as a gateway to India's financial ecosystem.