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India is looking at another five-year journey to make a significant impact on global quality standards, as the country still needs to build widespread trust across sectors, said Venu Srinivasan, Chairman of the Indian Foundation for Quality Management (IFQM) and Chairman Emeritus of TVS Motor Company.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the IFQM Symposium 2026, Srinivasan pointed out that Indian manufacturing has established a presence in specific areas, but the overall national perception requires systemic improvement. "We are looking at a 3-5 year journey. We have just finished 3 years. We're looking at another 5-year journey to make some significant impact," Srinivasan stated. "We have reached a level of quality in some products, some services and in some parts of the world. But India as a whole does not automatically stand for trust and quality," Srinivasan added. He explained that domestic enterprises need a fundamental shift in mindset to align operations with international expectations. "So we are uplifted by changing the culture of quality in our companies so that everybody in the company understands the customer, understands quality and will always do it exactly the way the customer wants," he said. While evaluating sector-specific progress, Srinivasan noted that the automotive segment has managed to reach international benchmarks due to stringent procurement standards established by global manufacturers. On Indian companies meeting the quality standard of global level, Srinivasan highlighted that the automotive industry, I think it is already getting there because you cannot supply to Toyota India or Suzuki India or Hyundai India unless you are global quality because they buy the same quality everywhere." However, he cautioned that this standard remains absent across several other industries and within deeper supply tiers, which creates operational inefficiencies. "But when you leave the automotive industry out there, a whole lot of consumer products and services, where this quality culture is not permeated. And even if you go down to the third level of suppliers, that culture is not there. So that puts a cost and quality burden," he said, adding that the objective remains to spread this standard to the grassroots of domestic industry. Addressing broader market trends, Srinivasan indicated that festive season demand looks favourable and automobile exports continue to perform solidly based on monthly data. He maintained a steady view on the domestic macroeconomic environment, noting that the Indian economy appears strong despite global disruptions. Regarding trade arrangements, Srinivasan expressed hope that ongoing free trade agreements will improve market access through reciprocal adjustments. "And this time the FTAs, I think, are being very focused on getting benefits for India," he said, explaining that resolving skewed duties on certain goods can create balanced terms where India secures expanded access for outbound shipments. On the geopolitical situation in West Asia, Srinivasan acknowledged that input costs have risen across industries, noting that every player is confronting those identical cost pressures. (ANI)
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