Diego Graffi, the India CEO of Italian automaker Piaggio Vehicles, is “a strong advocate of Make in India” according to the Business Line newspaper. This stems from the belief that this country’s automotive industry has one of the “highest levels of competencies” and has done particularly well for itself in the last few years. “We export a lot of our production globally and believe that India is a fantastic hub in terms of balancing quality and costs. Yet, we could go local in terms of supply chain and taking advantage of know-how available here,” explains Graffi. In short, globalization is a trend “which is not reversible” right now.
The Piaggio chief is upbeat about the company’s export business from India, especially in two-wheelers, where Africa and ASEAN offer potential. It is his conviction that these two regions can replicate the experience of India with even bigger numbers. He is also optimistic that Covid-19 is a “temporary situation which will fade away” and demand will eventually return. “We need to be prepared when that happens,” says Graffi.
