The story goes that when Jamsetji Tata proposed making steel for British-run Indian railways in 1907, a colonial administrator scoffed: “Do you mean to say that the Tatas propose to make steel rails to our specifications? I undertake to eat every pound of steel rail that Mr Tata succeeds in making”. India may have missed the Industrial Revolution, but domestic entrepreneurs since Jamsetji Tata have achieved notable manufacturing successes. The Tata Group today exports automotive chassis and owns the renowned Jaguar Land Rover. Companies like Hero MotoCorp and TVS export motorcycles, while India-owned Royal Enfield remains a best-selling brand in...