Cisco to make in Tamil Nadu, targets $1 billion in domestic production and exports

A senior executive of the company said that work on the manufacturing facility is already underway

Cisco will set up a manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu to make two of its highest volume products -- switching networks and cutting-edge router platforms -- that will create 1,200 jobs at the outset, the company's chief executive officer Chuck Robbins said during his ongoing visit to the country.

A senior executive of the company said that work on the manufacturing facility is already underway, and the first batch of products will begin to roll out within the next 12 months.

The company said that the manufacturing facility will cater to the growing demand from customers in India, with the aim of driving more than $1 billion in combined domestic production and exports in the coming years.

"When I last came to India four years back, we had a discussion with PM Modi that India needed to have a supply chain... Which is now happening," Robbins said.

The company said in a statement that it is also building core manufacturing capabilities in India, including testing, development and logistics, and expanding in-house repair operations. In addition to supporting supply chain resiliency, reducing lead times, and elevating customer experience, this will add further impetus to the local economy.

"Private 5G is a big opportunity for Cisco in India. We think we are beginning those use cases. Public 5G service we build virtually all the tech needed to build the network. We work with the major players in India like Jio and Bharti," Robbins added.