Manufacturing Will Drive India's Growth, But Skill Development Still Lags Behind: Gallantt Group CEO Mayank Agrawal At Republic Summit 2026

Speaking at the Republic Summit 2026, held at the Taj Palace in the capital, Gallantt Group CEO Mayank Agrawal made a clear case for why manufacturing has to sit at the centre of India's growth story over the next decade, but he didn't shy away from pointing out a gap that he believes is still holding the country back.

Asked about the role manufacturing can play in India's broader ambitions, Agrawal said manufacturing "has to play the biggest role," but added that several other factors need attention too if the country wants to sustain real growth. He pointed specifically to India's continued dependence on imports in core strategic sectors, naming defence, energy, electronics, engineering, and technology as areas where the country needs to build greater self-reliance.

Skill Development: The Missing Piece

For Agrawal, one gap stood out above the rest. He told the gathering that despite considerable effort from the government, skill development remains inadequate in the country. In his words: "There is one very important thing that despite a lack or a lot of push by the government also is still missing, which is skill development in our country."

It's a point he's raised before in other forums, and one that cuts against the more upbeat tone often heard around India's manufacturing push,  a reminder that policy intent and execution on the ground don't always move at the same pace.

 A Message For India's Tier-2 And Tier-3 Dreamers

Towards the end of the conversation, Agrawal was asked for a message to young people from smaller towns and tier-2 or tier-3 cities who are dreaming big, a question that hit close to home, given that Agrawal himself comes from Gorakhpur.

His advice was less about chasing the dreams others have already lived, and more about solving problems closer to home. He said young Indians often look towards Silicon Valley as the benchmark for ambition, but argued that Silicon Valley was built to answer a specific need that existed for that country at that time. His suggestion to young Indians instead: look at India's own scale,  a population of 1.4 billion people,  and try to solve a problem that matters to that many people. As he put it, anyone who manages to "crack something which is of use to 1.4 billion people" would likely find it "very well accepted" on the global stage too.

About The Summit

Agrawal's session was part of the Republic Summit 2026, themed "Great Power India: Nation First," which brought together a wide mix of voices from business, governance, and culture to discuss India's economic and strategic direction. The session wrapped with Agrawal being felicitated with a token of appreciation from the summit's hosts.

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