New Delhi, July 10 -- Cisco Systems, the global networking giant, is aiming to expand its footprint in India, especially in manufacturing and research, but is currently awaiting clarity on India's evolving trade policy, particularly concerning IT hardware imports.

Daisy Chittilapilly, President of Cisco India and SAARC, stated that while the company has a strong presence in software and engineering in India, it is keen to grow its local manufacturing capabilities.

However, ambiguity surrounding India's trade policy and the import management system for IT hardware has made the company cautious about making fresh investments in this area.

The Indian government's move last year to restrict imports of laptops, tablets, and servers-under th...