China plus one: Low labour costs and growing workforce give India the edge

A large and abundant workforce also gives it an edge against South East Asian rivals

A combination of one of the lowest labour costs and a large surplus workforce, which will continue to grow until 2031, is one of the key competitive edges that India is leveraging to challenge its rivals in Southeast Asia in the race for a China-Plus-One strategy. Apart from India, the countries in the race to woo global companies that manufacture in China, as well as the supply chains to their country include Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

On the labour front, India is a clear winner. Data from Euromonitor, the World Bank, the ILO (International Labour Organization), and