‘Ensure local products are affordable & accessible to all consumers’

Sunil Kohli, Managing Director, Rahat Cargo said, “Amid an uncertain global trade scenario coupled with tariff wars, the Indian industry needs to gear up to face the challenges by adopting several remedial measures and the ‘vocal for local’ mantra has been a paramount factor to overcome the odds since it encourages prioritising domestic products to boost local manufacturing and the economy. It would further lead to reduced imports in sectors like electronics and automobiles, supported by government incentives like Production-Linked Incentive schemes. The ‘Aatmnirbhar Bharat’ movement will promote small and medium enterprises apart from substituting the imported goods with local alternatives. The consumer goods market, especially in sectors like handicrafts, textiles and jewellery, has also seen a push to promote Indian brands over foreign ones. The ‘Vocal for Local’ movement, while promoting self-reliance, also needs to navigate potential trade-offs, such as balancing domestic production with global competitiveness and ensuring that local products are affordable and accessible to all consumers. The challenge for the government and local businesses will be to continue ensuring the growth of high-quality local alternatives that can compete globally.“