Prof. Ravi Ramamurti Previews Northeastern’s India Summit on India’s Global Manufacturing Future

BOSTON — Can India become a global manufacturing hub? That question will take center stage at Northeastern University’s fifth annual Vivek and Vandana Sharma India Summit on October 5, as policymakers, business leaders, investors and academics gather to examine India’s evolving role in global supply chains.

In a face-to-face interview with INDIA New England News, Ravi Ramamurti, University Distinguished Professor of International Business and Strategy at Northeastern and founding director of the university’s Center for Emerging Markets, discussed the upcoming summit and its focus on India’s manufacturing future.

The daylong summit, titled “Can India Become a Global Manufacturing Hub?”, will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT at Northeastern’s East Village, 17th Floor Conference Facility. The program will offer both in-person and online participation.

Ramamurti is the organizer of the summit, which is presented by Northeastern’s Center for Emerging Markets as part of the Vivek and Vandana Sharma India Initiative.

The summit comes as multinational companies reassess manufacturing locations and global supply chains. Discussions will examine India’s opportunities in labor-intensive manufacturing as well as higher-value sectors including electronics, automobiles and technology-driven industries.

Featured speakers include Amitabh Kant, former CEO of NITI Aayog and former G20 Sherpa for India. Kant has been closely involved with initiatives including Make in India, Startup India and Production-Linked Incentive programs.

Josh Foulger, president of IT Hardware and New Projects at Dixon Technologies, will bring extensive experience in electronics manufacturing. Ganesh Mani S, president and COO of Ashok Leyland, will provide an automotive-industry perspective, drawing on more than three decades of experience in manufacturing, sourcing, supply chains and operations.

Bhavani Parameswar, president of Indivate Inc., an ITC Group company, will contribute her experience in global business development, cross-border strategy, public policy and regulatory affairs.

Michael McCabe, resident director for North America at Tata Sons, will discuss the perspective of one of India’s largest multinational business groups, while S. Raghuram, Consul General of India in Boston, will represent the Indian government perspective.

Also scheduled to participate is Naveen Srivastava, Ambassador of India to Nepal. Anant Ahuja, director of ESG and Sustainability at Shahi Exports, will bring expertise in sustainability and responsible business practices in India’s apparel manufacturing sector.

The discussions will be moderated by Ashish Chugh, chief investment officer for equities at Frontier Investment Management Partners, and Ravi Sarathy, professor of international business and strategy at Northeastern’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business.

The summit will examine the infrastructure, workforce, technology, investment, logistics and policy challenges India faces as it seeks to expand its manufacturing base. Speakers are also expected to explore the potential impact of automation, digital manufacturing and artificial intelligence on India’s ability to compete in higher-value industries.

About Ravi Ramamurti
Ramamurti is the founding director of Northeastern’s Center for Emerging Markets, which supports faculty research, international conferences and seminars, student exposure to emerging markets and engagement with business practitioners.

His research and consulting focus on strategy and innovation in emerging economies. He has published extensively on multinationals from emerging markets and reverse innovation, and has authored or edited eight books, including works published by Cambridge University Press and Harvard Business Review Press.

Ramamurti has been ranked among the top 1% of scholars in his field. He is a Fellow of the Academy of International Business and has served as chair of the Academy of Management’s International Management Division. He is also a six-time recipient of the ADL Prize for Professor of the Year.

The Vivek and Vandana Sharma India Initiative supports Northeastern’s India Lecture series, visiting opportunities for scholars and practitioners, faculty research in India and efforts to strengthen U.S.-India business connections.

Event Details
Vivek and Vandana Sharma India Summit: “Can India Become a Global Manufacturing Hub?”

Date: Monday, October 5, 2026
Time: 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. EDT
Location: East Village, 17th Floor Conference Facility, Northeastern University
Format: In-person and online
Presented by: Northeastern University’s Center for Emerging Markets
Questions: [email protected]

The summit will bring together leaders from government, industry, investment and academia to examine India’s manufacturing ambitions and the opportunities and challenges they present for the country, multinational companies and the broader U.S.-India economic relationship.