As countries around the world dump Chinese companies and ban Chinese products, Indian companies are capitalizing the goodwill that India enjoys in order to market Indian products. In a step to promote Make in India, Hero cycles- the popular Indian cycle brand which has a presence in more than 70 countries, convinced British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ride cycle made in India.
The United Kingdom has launched £2 billion (Rs 19,392 crore) ‘cycling and walking drive’– an anti-obesity program to fight Covid-19.
“From helping people get fit and healthy and lowering their risk of illness, to improving air quality and cutting congestion, cycling and walking have a huge role to play in tackling some of the biggest health and environmental challenges that we face,” said Boris Johnson, a cycling enthusiast.
“But to build a healthier, more active nation, we need the right infrastructure, training and support in place to give people the confidence to travel on two wheels. That’s why now is the time to shift gears and press ahead with our biggest and boldest plans yet to boost active travel — so that everyone can feel the transformative benefits of cycling,” he added.
India is seen in a positive light across the world, and therefore, the leaders like Boris Johnson are ready to promote Made in India products. On the other hand, China, the current factory of the world, is suffering resentment of consumers and apathy of leaders due to Coronavirus, that has spread in the world, the reason being the complicity of the Communist government.
Hero cycles, one of the leading manufacturer and exporter of cycles, is expected to benefit immensely from the promotion of Bicycles in the United Kingdom, and Prime Minister’s personal ‘endorsement’ for its brand.
“Insync is delighted that the Prime Minister rode one of our Viking bikes after announcing what will be a landmark moment for cycling in the UK,” said Pankaj M. Munjal, chairman and managing director of Hero Motors Company, which includes Hero Cycles, Insync, the Viking and Lectro brands.
“We strongly back all the measures announced in the strategy, a move we hope will see many more thousands of people taking to the roads on two wheels. Providing safer cycle routes, funding towards e-bikes and a bike repairs scheme will encourage even more riders to return to cycling or take it up for the first time, building on the stand-out success the industry has seen during the pandemic,” he added.
In future, state heads from many other countries like Israel, Japan, France and Taiwan could also be seen backing Made in India projects. The ‘Made in India’ story is now being promoted by state leaders.
It is evident that many leaders in Western nations want India to replace China as the “factory of the world”.
Chinese companies are suffering a big jolt due to cutting off imports. The communist country is also facing a ban on its entry in many countries.
Hero Cycles group itself cancelled projects worth 900 crore rupees. “In the coming 3 months, we had to do business worth Rs 900 crore with China, but we have cancelled all those plans. This is our commitment to boycott Chinese products,” said Pankaj Munjal, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Hero Cycles.
He has come forward to offer technical help to small cycle manufacturers, whose business has been destroyed due to lockdown, to build high-tech products which can be exported to European and American markets. The price of high-end bicycles ranges from 15,000 rupees to 7 Lakh, and the small manufacturers can make hefty money if they learn technical expertise to manufacture these.
So far, high-end cycles and their parts were being imported from China. “This is the reason that we have come forward to help them and hence are ready to provide them technical help so that they can start making high-end bicycle parts which are being imported from China,” said Munjal.
Moreover, Hero Group and Punjab government are cooperating in the set-up of cycle valley in Ludhiana in 100 acres of land and 400 crore rupees investment. Munjal said that manufacturing of every type of bicycle is possible in India. “Once Cycle Valley at Dhanansu village of Ludhiana comes up, we can easily compete with China. If India can make the latest computers, why can’t we make hi-tech bicycles,” he said.
With the help of the promotion by state leaders, Indian brands can easily replace the Chinese dominance, and India could become the factory of the world, unsettling the incumbent China, which is facing massive backlash due to complicity of Communist government in the spread of the Coronavirus diseases.