Schneider Electric, a specialist in energy management and automation, today said that it plans to pump in Rs 750 crore in India over the next three to five years in research and development (R&D), innovation and manufacturing.
"We have invested quite significantly in India. In the past 10 years we have invested roughly around 800 million euro. In the country (India) we plan to invest another 100 (million euros) at least in the next coming five years," Schneider Electric Chairman and CEO Jean-Pascal Tricoire told reporters here.
Schneider Electric India Country President and MD Anil Chaudhry said: "We have already invested Rs 6,000 crore in the last few years (in India). Another Rs 750 crore will be invested in the three to five years time."
"The plan is to keep doing what we do today. We have 20,000 people in the country," Tricoire said, adding that the company has developed in India at a break-neck pace.
The company has 28 factories and is present in 50 cities, he added.
"When I look at the present priorities of the country like Digital India and energy for manufacturing, Schneider is completely aligned with all of those priorities," he said.
He further said that the company will keep recruiting and training people both for the Indian as well as global market.
"We are going to do what we have done in the past year...Keep investing in R&D, manufacturing to supply solution to our customers here," Tricoire said.
Tricore further said that India's first priority is to
provide energy to all as it is the base of development.
"We are aware that the demand for energy will keep growing under the mega trends -- urbanisation, industralisation and digitalisation -- but there are 1.3 billion in the world and 277 million in India who do not have access to energy. Hence, our aim is to bring in inclusive and equitable growth and development by extending access to energy in a suitable manner," he said.
He further said the biggest asset of India is the human capital.
The biggest advantage of India is its population, he said, adding the challenge is to ensure that all innovations are implemented at the pace that benefit everybody.
Schneider Electric's technologies augment its capabilities in segments such as oil and gas, utilities, health-care, mining, minerals and metals.
The company has witnessed an aggressive growth in the last 10 years with a series of joint ventures and acquisitions. It is well aligned with the government's other key programmes like 'Make in India' and 'Skill India'.
