Women are the workforce multiplier India’s factories need

India’s manufacturing edge Is being Wasted

Our team recently came across a thought-provoking LinkedIn post. An Indian businessman shared his experience of visiting a prospective investee's manufacturing unit in China. What he saw left a deep impression on him.

He observed a single man operating a fully automated production line for 12 hours straight. One man. One line.

When he questioned the promoter about the higher margins at their Chinese facility, the explanation pointed to two decisive factors:

1. 300 basis points advantage in material costs
2. 80 basis points edge due to labour efficiency

This raised a natural question:

How does a country with higher labour costs offer a labour advantage?

The promoter's answer was simple—and telling: This insight highlights not just the discipline and dedication of Chinese women workers in the apparel and footwear industries, but also the huge opportunity that India is yet to seize.