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For over 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 electronics manufacturing standard, and securing funding 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, automotive, and design capabilities makes it one of the fastest-growing markets in the global supply chain.
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 companies 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 Circuits 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 the offerings to IPC-A-610 and then CID, the IPC Designers Certification program. We saw a strong interest, so we started teaching regular classes and confirmed that there was a thirst for IPC programs in India.
After the first year, we realized our partnership goals with IPCA were not aligned, which led us to open our own organization in 2010. Our headquarters was established in Bengaluru, on the first floor of an office of an engineer working for an IPC member company. By 2020, we were on to our third office in Bengaluru, we’d added an office in Delhi, and had gone from never having been to India to visiting 4 times a year. We organized training, standards sales, membership, conferences, hand-soldering competitions, and even organized a small show.
To continue reading this interview, which originally appeared in the September 2025 edition of SMT007 Magazine, click here.
