India is a strategic hub in Flex’s global manufacturing network: Nikhil Rao

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India is a strategic hub in Flex’s global manufacturing network: Nikhil Rao

India is a strategic hub in Flex’s global manufacturing network: Nikhil Rao

Interviews
Feb 25,26

In this interview with Rakesh Rao, Nikhil Rao, VP Operations at Flex CIP, Flex India, explains how India is strengthening its position as an export-oriented manufacturing base with electronics production shifting towards high-mix, high-value products.

India is a strategic hub in Flex’s global manufacturing network: Nikhil Rao

India has evolved into a strategic hub within Flex’s global manufacturing and lifecycle solutions network, supported by advanced capabilities, localisation and supply-chain resilience. With electronics production shifting towards high-mix, high-value products, India is strengthening its position as an export-oriented manufacturing base, states Nikhil Rao, VP Operations at Flex CIP, Flex India, in this interview with Rakesh Rao.

Flex has been present in India for over two decades. How has the company’s footprint and role evolved within your global manufacturing network during this period?

Flex has operated in India since 2001, and the country has become a strategic manufacturing and services hub within our global network. Today, Flex has a manufacturing footprint of over one million square feet across three facilities near Chennai, delivering end-to-end, integrated solutions spanning inbound vendor-managed inventory, manufacturing, and fulfilment.

Our Sriperumbudur facility, located within the Chennai Industrial Park, operates across domestic and international volumes, supporting the ‘Make in India’ agenda while improving speed, efficiency, and flexibility for customers. Complementing manufacturing, our two Bengaluru sites focus on aftermarket services, including repairs, reverse logistics, and circular economy solutions. We also operate three Global Business Services centers in Chennai, Coimbatore, and Pune that support Flex’s worldwide operations.

With a workforce of over 10,000 employees in India, Flex continues to invest in advanced manufacturing technologies, including automation, robotics, digitalization, and simulation, alongside strong workforce development and local supplier partnerships. As India scales production of advanced electronics, Flex is well positioned to support its evolution as a global EMS and export hub.

Flex has built a strong manufacturing and export base in India across multiple sectors. How does the country align with Flex’s global manufacturing and lifecycle solutions strategy today?

India is a strategic hub in Flex’s global manufacturing network. Our scale, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and integrated services in India enable us to support global customers across multiple industries, from manufacturing and fulfilment to aftermarket services. As customers diversify supply chains and increase exports from India, Flex plays a critical role in delivering resilient, cost-efficient, and end-to-end lifecycle solutions at scale.

How would you evaluate the maturity and competitiveness of India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem at present?

India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem has reached a new level of maturity, transitioning from assembly-focused manufacturing to supporting complex products and high-mix manufacturing at scale. With growing depth across data center and telecommunications infrastructure, automotive and industrial electronics, renewable energy, and healthcare, the ecosystem is steadily strengthening its manufacturing and industrialisation capabilities.

Demand for sustainable and connected technologies is driving greater adoption of automation and advanced manufacturing processes.

From a Flex perspective, this evolution is clearly visible in India, where manufacturing has shifted from high-volume, low-mix to more complex and premium products. Our partnership with Cisco to produce advanced networking and telecom equipment, reflects this move up the manufacturing value chain, demonstrating India’s ability to support sophisticated, mission-critical products at scale.

Which emerging segments are driving the next phase of growth in India’s electronics manufacturing industry, and how is Flex positioning itself to capture these opportunities?

Data Centers, Communications, automotive, and industrial systems are emerging as the primary growth drivers for electronics manufacturing in India. Growth in next-generation connectivity and AI-enabled infrastructure, alongside electronics for electric and connected vehicles and increasingly automated industrial systems, is driving the need for more integrated and scalable end-to-end manufacturing capabilities. These segments are accelerating supply chain localization and export-led growth, reinforcing India’s role as a scalable global manufacturing hub.

As global supply chains diversify, how critical are localisation, advanced manufacturing capabilities and supply-chain resilience in strengthening India’s position in high-tech electronics?

At Flex, localization, advanced manufacturing, and supply chain resilience are fundamental to how we support customers in a rapidly evolving global electronics landscape. In India, our focus on expanding component localization is aligned with government initiatives to strengthen domestic manufacturing and high-technology capabilities.

Flex builds resilient regional ecosystems by developing diversified, trusted supplier networks and strengthening manufacturing capabilities. This approach enhances agility and continuity, while positioning India as a competitive and reliable hub for high-tech electronics. We believe the long-term gains in resilience, flexibility, and competitiveness far outweigh the risks of maintaining concentrated supply chain models.

What are your medium- to long-term growth priorities for Flex in India?

Over the medium to long term, Flex’s focus in India is on delivering greater value to customers by strengthening our advanced manufacturing capabilities and developing skilled talent. Flex supports customers as they scale and innovate across priority segments such as data center, communications, automotive industrial and healthcare, while enabling supply chain resilience and enabling reliable export-oriented manufacturing.