Amid Donald Trump-China tariff slugfest, Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu sees a huge bargain-hunting opportunity for Indian manufacturers

Sridhar Vembu, founder of Zoho, has endorsed a timely and strategic suggestion for Indian manufacturers—to acquire high-quality used machinery from China. As China grapples with manufacturing overcapacity and labor shortages, a golden opportunity is emerging for India, which has the workforce and growing industrial demand but often lacks access to affordable, advanced equipment.

Vembu's suggestion comes at a time when China vs US tariff slugfest threaten to rewire global supply chains. In a latest development, China’s commerce ministry has strongly pushed back against the latest threat of increased tariffs from the United States, declaring its intent to respond firmly if the situation escalates. This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump proposed raising tariffs on Chinese imports to as high as 50 percent, further straining already tense trade relations between the two global powers.

The escalating rhetoric signals a potential reawakening of trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies with both sides showing little willingness to compromise. Earlier, in response to Trump's reciprocal tariffs, China had announced its own 34 percent duties on US goods to come into effect on Thursday.


Industry veteran Prakash Dadlani, who brings over 30 years of manufacturing and trade experience, highlighted this shift. He emphasized that Indian manufacturers can now access nearly-new machinery at significantly reduced prices. His team recently acquired three 90-ton injection moulding machines in China for the cost of one brand-new unit—underscoring the kind of deals currently available, he said in a post.
Dadlani is urging Indian manufacturers to act fast and smart. By leveraging their networks—suppliers, partners, and other industry insiders—they can secure high-value machines and moulds to scale up production, increase capacity, and strengthen India’s manufacturing competitiveness on the global stage.

He also emphasized that this opportunity is best suited for genuine manufacturers or field experts. The aim is to build real value—expand capacity, improve efficiency, and invest in long-term capability—not to simply flip machines for short-term profits.

Online users, however, had mixed reactions. Some questioned whether China would willingly let go of machinery that could empower a future competitor. Others suggested that China’s move may be part of a broader shift toward robotics and automation, potentially rendering older equipment obsolete. While this could mean a short-term gain for Indian firms, several believe that India must also innovate and plan for a long-term strategy to stay ahead in the evolving global manufacturing race.