Why I’m giving up on 'Make in India' and looking toward the UK
Trying to set up a manufacturing and export unit here in India feels less like building a business and more like running a gauntlet designed to break your spirit. I’ve spent months navigating a labyrinth of red tape, where every single "No Objection Certificate" and compliance form feels like a calculated barrier to entry rather than a standard procedure. It’s not just the sheer volume of paperwork; it’s the expectation that you’ll "grease the wheels" at every level. From local municipal officials to GST inspectors, the process is shrouded in an culture of petty corruption where your file stays at the bottom of the pile unless someone gets their cut. It’s incredibly draining to try and run a legitimate operation when the system itself seems structured to reward those who know how to play the bribe game.
Compare this to the experience of a friend who recently incorporated a similar export venture in the UK. The difference is frankly infuriating. In the UK, the process is almost entirely digitized, transparent, and most importantly it's predictable. You aren't playing a guessing game with local bureaucrats or bracing for "extra-legal" expenses just to get a utility connection or a customs permit. There, the government views itself as a facilitator of commerce rather than a gatekeeper, and the regulatory framework is designed to let you focus on your actual product rather than spending 70% of your time fighting a phantom war against systemic inefficiency.
It’s disheartening because I truly wanted to build something here, but at what point does the cost of "doing business" become a tax on my own survival? We talk about India becoming a global manufacturing hub, but as long as we treat entrepreneurs like suspects who need to be shaken down rather than partners in growth, we’re never going to compete with countries that actually value efficiency. Unless there is a fundamental shift in how the lower rungs of this bureaucracy operate, people like me will continue to look elsewhere, and we will keep losing out on the innovation and investment that this country desperately needs.