Summary

The authors argue that 2020 — with its stresses from Covid-19 and the tariffs imposed on Chinese goods by the Trump administration — could mark an inflection point in the bilateral trade of goods between the United States and India. They look at India as a sourcing partner for goods, becoming a partial replacement for imports from China. While India still poses obstacles due to practices relating to both land and labor, they argue, foreign companies wishing to build their own factories can overcome these challenges by starting out as a buyer rather than as an investor, understanding that India is a diverse country with rules varying state-by-state, using a cultural interpreter, even when language interpretation isn’t necessary, and understanding that sourcing from India takes time and patience.