The Philippine government, led by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cristina A. Roque, and Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Frederick D. Go engaged senior Indian business executives in a high-level roundtable discussion to secure and expand an estimated $66.78 million in potential new and expansion investments.
The executive roundtable, held on September 12, served as a strategic platform to follow up on commitments made during the August 2025 Presidential Visit to India. The participating Indian companies represent a combined market capitalization of approximately $65.55 billion and an existing Philippine investment footprint of $84.7 million.
The discussions focused on accelerating investments in Information Technology-Business Process Management (IT-BPM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, digital engineering and electronics manufacturing services (EMS).
"We are making it easier and faster for Indian companies to set up and scale here in the Philippines," DTI Secretary Roque said.
"Through the CREATE MORE Act, we have cut through red tape, improved tax incentives, and used our Green Lanes to fast-track approvals. As Indian tech and manufacturing leaders bring thousands of high-value jobs to Clark, Subic, Tarlac, and Cagayan de Oro, the DTI is making sure they have full support to grow their business operations and tap our world-class Filipino workforce.
During the meeting, executives from key Indian companies outlined their respective local operations and strategic expansion plans:
Cognizant: Plans to expand beyond its existing operations in the Philippines by introducing high-value tech services, including AI, cybersecurity, digital engineering, and Global Capability Centers (GCC). The expansion is projected to generate 3,000 to 5,000 additional jobs over the next three years, with prospective site evaluations in Tarlac, Clark, Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete and Urdaneta.
HCLTech: Continues to expand its technology and digital services operations in the Philippines, supporting over 70 global clients. The company plans to maintain investments of around $10 million, while strengthening workforce training in AI and cybersecurity and exploring expansion opportunities in the regions.
VVDN Technologies: Finalizing plans to establish a manufacturing facility for electronics assembly and testing in the Philippines. The proposed project, with an estimated investment of $10 million to $50 million, is expected to create around 500 manufacturing jobs and may be located in Subic, First Philippine Industrial Park (FPIP), or Laguna.
Hinduja Group: Outlined an estimated $6 million investment plan through Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS) to set up digitally enabled Staffing Solutions Centers in Metro Manila, creating 1,200 skilled jobs. Additionally, its automotive arm, Ashok Leyland, highlighted a breakthrough commercial vehicle assembly project to supply units for the Metropolitan Cebu Water District.
“India’s leading technology and manufacturing companies are recognizing the Philippines as a competitive destination for high-value investments. The interest we are seeing is a strong indication that our investment reforms are working and that companies are looking to the Philippines not only as a market, but as a strategic base for their regional operations,” Investment Czar Secretary Frederick Go said.
Joining President Marcos Jr., DTI Secretary Roque, and DOF Secretary Go at the roundtable were Philippine Ambassador to India Josel Francisco Ignacio, and Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC)-New Delhi Commercial Counsellor Rudolph Jay Velasco.
Indian business delegates present included Cognizant VP & Head of Government Affairs (India & APAC) Gaurav Hazra; HCLTech CFO Shiv Waila; VVDN Technologies CEO Puneet Agarwal and Senior Executive Himmat Singh Sidhu; and Hinduja Group Resident Director Amb. Ajit Kumar and Group President Dr. Sunil K. Chadda.
No comments:
Post a Comment