Prakash Dadlani Profile picture
Apr 28 7 tweets 2 min read Read on X
I used to import batteries from China.

It was a nightmare:
* dangerous cargo
* BIS issues
* cash flow blocked for months

Then my China supplier told me:

There's a guy in India buying BIG from us.

Contact him.

His name was Paaras: 🧵👇🏻
I WhatsApped him.

His reply came in seconds.

- 1500 mAh: 10k pcs / 50k pcs / 100k pcs - INR XX / XX / XX
- 1800 mAh: 10k pcs / 50k pcs / 100k pcs - INR XX / XX / XX
- 2000 mAh: 10k pcs / 50k pcs / 100k pcs - INR XX / XX / XX

Bottom of the message:

NO NEGOTIATION.
CASH ADVANCE ONLY.
MESSAGE ONLY NO CALLS.

Cold.

But honest.
I placed the order.

Invoice came.

I paid, sent him proof and delivery address.

Delivery done in days.

Without any single call, follow up or drama.

Did many more orders after that.

Never met Paaras.

Never spoke to him.
Until 2 months ago.

He called.

Said he was curious how our volumes kept growing.

He was coming to China and wanted to meet.

A coffee meet turned into 3 hours and dinner.

I asked how he built this.
He is a Madwadi CA, with passion for IT.

A few years ago his cousin needed help.

Had orders but no capital.

Needed 50,000 batteries from China.

Paaras financed it.

But on one condition:

Goods stored at his place.

Cousin pays cash, takes stock in parts.

It worked.

Cousin came back for 1 lakh. Then more.

Cousin told other importers

China factory started sending him customers.

No ads or calls, just word of mouth.
Today Paaras moves millions of batteries every year.

Turnover: 20 Cr - only batteries.

Staff: 1 person.

Net margin: 10% clean.

4 stock turns a year.

Thats a 40% return on investment

and growing every year.
His rules are simple:

- Only 3 SKUs (no complexity).
- Always has stock
- Price = import cost + nett 10%

He has automated everything.

Does not take calls (messages only).

China factories approach him for distribution deals.

He says no.

Sticks to one factory.

The one he trusts.

Still has his CA job.

Keeps expenses lean.

Calls the battery business his fixed deposit with great returns.

Down to earth, low key and making real money.

A favour for a cousin turned into a money machine.

These are the stories nobody tells but everybody needs to hear.

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Prakash Dadlani

Prakash Dadlani Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @prakdadlani

Apr 22
Want to import from China?

The rules are stricter than ever.

India wants people to buy Indian-made goods.

So the government has put up many barriers.

Here is a simple step by step guide 🧵👇🏻 Image
Step 1: Check if your product is even allowed.

Every product has an 8-digit code called the ITC HS Code.

Go to the DGFT website and search your code.

Allowed: You can import

Needs license: Apply first, then import

Banned: Do not proceed.
Step 2: Get these 3 things done before anything else.

IEC Code: Lets you import and export. Valid for life.

GST Registration: Needed to claim tax back.

AD Code: Register at the port your ship will arrive at.
Read 13 tweets
Mar 30
If you want to start manufacturing in India,

you don’t need to start from zero.

We are opening our factory to serious builders.

Here is the exact opportunity:🧵👇🏻 Image
India is losing money on simple things.
- Plastic
- Small motors
- Easy assembly

Because they are imported from China.

They should be made here.

Make in India = save money + create jobs.

Time to fix this.
Look at grooming alone:

Hair trimmers + Hair Dryers

We are a country of hairy people:
- salons on every street
- people who care about how they look

Yet, lakhs of units are imported.

These are 'NO-BRAINER' products

made of… plastic + a small motor.
Read 10 tweets
Dec 17, 2025
Want to start a factory in 2026?

Here are 8 government schemes you need to know:
Image
1/ PLI 2.0 pays you 4-6% on SALES for 5 years.

Not upfront subsidy.

Cash based on what you sell.

Works for: Electronics, Pharma, Steel, ACs, LEDs, Solar, Batteries.

If you're scaling big, this adds crores to revenue.
2/ PM Gati Shakti shows you India's infrastructure on a map.

Check rail, road, and port connections BEFORE buying land.

Pick locations with multi-modal connectivity.

Cuts your logistics costs by 30-40%.
Read 10 tweets
Sep 7, 2025
How to start Manufacturing in India (Step-by-Step Roadmap):
India is set to become a $1T

manufacturing hub by 2030.

Yet most people don’t know where to begin.

Here’s the roadmap to build your own factory in India (from scratch): 👇
1. Pick your product

Don’t chase trends.

Instead, look at data.

India imports $710B goods annually:
• chemicals,
• electronics,
• auto parts,
• toys

all have high dependence on China.

If you can replace imports → you’ve found gold.
Read 14 tweets
Sep 6, 2025
How to get into manufacturing as a 16 YO in India (step-by-step roadmap):
STEP 1: Age 16–18 (Foundation years)

• Finish 10th/12th (preferably Science/Maths/ITI track).

• Enrol in ITI or Polytechnic → CNC, welding, machining, electrical basics.

• Take Skill India/PMKVY courses in EV, electronics, robotics.

• Start with online micro-courses (Coursera/Udemy) on automation & supply chain.
STEP 2: 18–21 (Hands-on training)

• Join apprenticeships at Tata, Maruti, Bosch, Foxconn.

• Work on shop-floor projects → learn lean manufacturing, QA, maintenance.

• Explore NSDC Sector Skill Councils → auto, electronics, capital goods.

• Build a small portfolio (certificates + projects + references).
Read 5 tweets
May 29, 2025
Don't get into manufacturing in India before you know this: 🧵👇🏻 Image
Image
1/ Manufacturing burns cash fast.

Expect at least 8–12 months of cash flow gaps before profits.

Upfront costs include:
• Raw materials
• Machinery & maintenance
• Labor wages
• Factory rent & utilities

You’ll bleed cash if you’re unprepared.
2/ 80% of Indian manufacturers are MSMEs

And many struggle because of:
• Poor working capital management
• Delayed customer payments
• Rushed or unplanned scaling

Without smart money management, your business won’t survive long.
Read 14 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Don't want to be a Premium member but still want to support us?

Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us!

:(