John Chambers, the never-shy, outspoken head of Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO), is ratcheting up his rhetoric and actions in growing the company outside of the United States.

He made an extremely remarkable statement today in a visit to New Delhi.

“I am betting my future on India.

“We have already made significant investments in setting up our research & development here.

“We will have 30 per cent of our talent base from India and going forward we want to partner the Government in enabling socially relevant projects such as in education and healthcare.”

So reported The Hindu Business Line.

And at age 63 as he at least mulls the possibility of retirement, Chambers says he is considering two India natives as his possible successor.

They are Padamsree Warrior, currently the Chief Technology and Strategy Officer, and Pankaj Patel, Executive Vice-President and Chief Development Officer.

“We want to make Cisco a truly globalized company,” Chambers told the newspaper.

As far as picking an India native as his successor, good for Chambers. The corporate suites in America are embarrassing when viewed through the prism of diversification.

But as for betting “my future” on India?

Is this some more Chambers hyperbole? Or is it truth?

Probably a mix of both – but the remark should NOT be ignored.

For anyone who follows Cisco – and there are many in the Triangle where the company operates its second largest corporate campus (5,000 employees) outside of the company headquarters in Silicon Valley – Chambers’ comments are the latest in a continuing verbal broadside against U.S. corporate tax and business policies. He is demanding lower rates for “repatriated” profits made overseas. Many other corporate executives have made the same demand.

Until changes are made, Chambers has said he will grow the company outside the U.S. in terms of headcount and acquisitions.

He’s NOT bluffing. Cisco’s most recent company buys have been overseas.

Chambers also has said repeatedly that Canada really knows how to do business.

Now, Chambers wants to get even more cozy with India’s government., 

“We have done a lot of work with Governments in countries like Russia and Israel. In India, our engagement has not been satisfactory till now. We want to change that,” Chambers told the Indian newspaper.

Is anyone in American government at any level paying attention to what Chambers is saying?

[CISCO ARCHIVE: Check out more than a decade of Cisco stories as reported in WRAL Tech Wire.]