Birla flags Trump's influence as a key factor in 2025 economic dynamics

Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the Aditya Birla Group, has identified the "Trump factor" as a critical variable likely to reshape global geopolitics and economics in 2025.  In his annual reflections, Birla emphasised the enduring significance of the United States, describing it as the group’s largest market outside India. The Aditya Birla Group’s investments in the U.S. exceed $15 billion, including an ongoing $4 billion greenfield expansion aimed at strengthening the manufacturing sector.  Quoting Warren Buffett’s saying, “Never bet against America,” Birla expressed confidence in the India-U.S. economic partnership and the dynamism of the U.S. economy, despite uncertainties surrounding former U.S. President Donald Trump’s return to the global stage.  Birla also highlighted the global manufacturing resurgence, positioning India as a rising industrial powerhouse. “The migration of Apple’s ecosystem to India is emblematic of this transition,” he noted, pointing out that a quarter of the world’s iPhones could soon be produced in the country. He further stated that the group’s flagship, UltraTech Cement, crossed a 150-million-ton-per-annum capacity milestone in 2024.  “UltraTech today produces well over 1.5 times the total cement output of the United States and commands a capacity exceeding 80 per cent of Europe’s. To me, this is a marker of India’s rising industrial strength and its emergence as a pivotal player in the global manufacturing renaissance,” said Birla.  Reflecting on 2024, Birla described it as “a year like no other” for the group, citing simultaneous strategic expansions in businesses like paints, jewellery retail, B2B e-commerce, telecom, and financial services. “Our combination of capital, talent pool, brand power, industry expertise, and accumulated goodwill has enabled us to move with speed and decisiveness even at a time of global uncertainty,” he said.  Birla’s forward-looking statement also touched on broader themes such as fragmented societies, polarising public discourse, and eroding trust. He suggested that the next decade could see “harnessing of technology as a force for unity.”  “The hunger for authenticity and connectedness, deeper and more meaningful than algorithm-driven engagement, will drive the next wave of innovation,” he added.