If this MoU ends up in successful reciprocation of exports of India’s engineering goods in Germany, then through Germany, the entire European Union markets would be open to India, as much as Indian markets to them.

Not only that, a good number of German entrepreneurs in the renewable and alternative energy sectors, who are members of the BVMW, would be able to build up pan-India presence for developing Indian energy paradigms.

It would also mean opening up huge employment paradigm in the MSME sector, exchange of expertise and technologies in SMEs, and an understanding that manufacturing does not mean car or aircraft or ship making alone.

The first requirement to make this dream a success is the capability to put in Quality norms of processes in manufacturing culture in the country. Indian entrepreneurs would be required to adopt and elicit from their relations with the BVMW, the correct approach to Quality in Manufacturing.

Germany and France are the most influential among the countries of the EU. Both are dominant powers in the European and the American alliances. The overriding factor in the inter-European relations is the fundamental impression about acceptability of Indian goods in these countries. France has strong traditional relations with India like the USA, but in the case of Germany, the thrust since long was more on academic sides, than engineering.

The members in the BVMW are successful exporters world over of quality engineering tools. They immensely embolden German economy through their tools and machines produced from their small and medium enterprises. The avowed aim to boost business ties between India and Germany with thrust on the MSME sector is a novel beginning of a supposedly grand chapter in Indo-German relations.

The CEOs in the entourage of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hannover Messe, where 350 Indian firms are participating, showcase India’s commitment in high technology areas. But the central point in the relations, or the MoUs, is the transfer of technologies, enough to create variegated manufacturing paradigms in India departing from Car or Aircraft making culture or showcasing them as the only quality Indian manufactures.

India’s pursuit for Quality manufacturing has historically suffered because of wrong vote-bank cultures by Indian governments during past decades. Coupled with archaic labour laws, conservative financial supports to young entrepreneurs, the culture of creating vote-banks historically eroded India’s quality at manufacturing processes.

Therefore, India mostly ends up exporting leather, gems and minerals, chemicals, agricultural produce, and some tools and machine, besides the service like in IT, medical, pharmaceuticals, and Ayurveda. India’s export markets also are mostly limited to some Gulf Countries like the UAE, South Asian nations, and the USA. With most other countries Indian exports seriously suffer the negative balance of trade, not favouring India. All this is because of the lack of Quality processes and products in manufacturing.

Export of Indian MSMEs’ products also have historically suffered due to sub-standard manufacturing processes resulting in rejections at big international markets and competitions. With possible technology upgradation through these MoUs, and eventual input of Quality science in manufacturing processes, chances are India would emerge steadily a manufacturing hub other than car or aircraft, or bus or ship making.

It is the development of the MSME sector, successful exports of tools and machinery, which bolster an economy permanently. China has already shown it. If Indian SMEs emerge strong along side agricultural production, the road to manufacturing quality defence equipment, pharmaceutical producing equipment, machinery for producing agricultural items within India would be shorter than it is now.

Everybody knows this. What all do not know is the fact that, even if the government takes every step to ease the process of FDIs in MSMEs in India, and create norms of the social ambience conducive to foreign manufacturers’ setting shops or starting the joint ventures, there is a huge silent task the government would have to take up – the task of developing national consensus of all politically opponent parties about the FDIs on MSMEs.

The current government is in minority at the Rajya Sabha. Therefore the Bills to remove the bottlenecks in labour laws, domestic lobbies on pricing paradigms, land acquisition for factories, etc. would take long to get through.

The Prime Minister’s dream of setting up factories along the national highways all through the country is yet far too distant to be fulfilled. But it is a Quality Vision, which nobody can ignore, including opponents. Many entrepreneurs dream along with him, even as Indians, as a people, love to live in nostalgia and remain complacent governed by the archaic British India’s laws. (IPA Service)