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8 SMT007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2025 F E AT U R E I N T E RV I E W by N o l a n J o h n s o n , I - C o n n e ct 0 07 O ver two decades, Dave Bergman has helped steer the Global Electronics Association's work in India, from a single training course to a thriving regional operation with deep government and industry ties. In this interview, Dave explains how the group went from partnering with IPCA to opening its own office in 2010, creating India's first domestic elec- tronics manufacturing standard, and securing fund- ing for dozens of Indian companies to attend U.S. trade shows. With phone manufacturing for export projected to grow tenfold in the next five years, Dave shares why India's mix of consumer electronics, automo- tive, and design capabilities makes it one of the fastest-growing markets in the global supply chain. Building Electronics Excellence in India Nolan Johnson: Dave, how did the Global Electronics Association build its foothold in India? David Bergman: It's fascinating to see the progress of the electronics industry in India. In 2007, I was leading our China office and contractors in Europe and Russia, and finding a path to support compa- nies in India was next on the docket. We had held workshops there before (supported by my father, Dieter Bergman), but I had never traveled there personally and did not have a good feel for the market. I needed a low-risk way of entering the country, so I partnered with the Indian Printed Cir- cuits Association (IPCA) to help determine whether there was demand for our certification programs. We started small by offering just a couple of IPC-A-600 courses, and it worked. We expanded