<div><strong>Simar Singh</strong><br><br>The desire to emulate the success of China as a manufacturing hub among Indians is very real. Best emblematised by the government’s ambitious Make in India thrust to galvanise the manufacturing sector. </div><div> </div><div>However, according to competitiveness expert, Professor Michael Enright of the University of Hong Kong, India faces much tougher conditions than China did when it embarked on the path of manufacturing.</div><div> </div><div>Speaking at the National Competitiveness Forum in Gurgaon on Friday, he said, “When China started the growth rates were incredible. Rates like that are not there now.”</div><div> </div><div>The fundamental difference between China and India is that while the Chinese have traditionally focused on exports, the Indian economy has been based on domestic consumption. Now the roles are reversing as the Chinese have been looking at domestic consumption for the past few years, while India wants to boost its exports.</div><div> </div><div>“India faces a much tougher export market than China did,” said Professor Enright, adding that the reason the Chinese focused on exports much earlier was because their population did not have the right kind of purchasing power, a capability that they have now managed to build up.</div><div> </div><div>The success of Make in India, according to him, while taking longer will be completely dependent on which markets in India are attractive enough and general affordability.</div>
