New Delhi, April 23: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has unveiled an ambitious roadmap to transform Haryana into a globally competitive destination for Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM), Information Technology (IT), Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC-XR) sectors. The announcement came during a high-level consultation with industry leaders in New Delhi on Thursday, where the state government outlined a sweeping industrial policy designed to accelerate investment, innovation, and large-scale employment generation.

Haryana's New Industrial Policy: Key Pillars

Chief Minister Saini emphasized that sectors like ESDM, IT, and AVGC-XR are rapidly emerging as foundational pillars of India's national economy. He underscored that Haryana's robust physical infrastructure, seamless connectivity, and investor-friendly regulatory environment position it uniquely to capture global capital flows.

The proposed industrial policy will offer a comprehensive incentive basket, including capital subsidies, tax benefits, skill development support, and streamlined ease-of-doing-business provisions. These measures are designed to ensure both the smooth establishment of new enterprises and the accelerated expansion of existing ones.

Industries and Commerce Minister Rao Narbir Singh, who was also present at the meeting, stated that the government's core objective is to position Haryana as the preferred investment destination for leading domestic and international corporations.

Industry Recommendations and Strategic Priorities

Industry representatives at the consultation put forward several forward-looking recommendations. They called for the identification of futuristic product categories and the selection of anchor companies to be groomed into global players — a move that would simultaneously benefit associated Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through supply chain integration.

Delegates stressed the importance of building a strong Research and Development (R&D) ecosystem for startups and establishing Centres of Excellence to catalyse innovation across sectors. On the export front, industry bodies recommended setting up global warehouses abroad to facilitate smoother product storage and distribution for Haryana-based companies targeting international markets.

Several firms also expressed keen interest in adopting Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), seeking to co-design curriculum and training programs to ensure a pipeline of skilled talent precisely tailored to industry requirements.

AI-Powered Education and Future-Ready Workforce

Sandeep Arora from Microsoft presented a compelling case for integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based education into schools, ITIs, and higher educational institutions across the state. Under the proposed initiative, students would receive structured training in AI, machine learning, and data analytics from an early stage — equipping them with skills to compete in the global digital economy.

This initiative aligns closely with India's National Education Policy (NEP) thrust on future-ready skills and reflects a growing recognition that the talent pipeline, not just infrastructure, determines a state's competitiveness in the global technology race.

The government has also committed to providing dedicated policy support and financial incentives to promote R&D activities and foster a culture of innovation across the ESDM and IT ecosystems.

AVGC-XR Sector: A Dedicated Policy Framework

In a significant move for India's creative economy, the Haryana government is developing a dedicated policy exclusively for the AVGC-XR sector — covering Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality. This structured framework aims to provide a clear growth platform for what is increasingly recognised as a high-value, technology-driven creative industry.

FICCI AVGC-XR Forum Chairman Ashish Kulkarni and other industry stakeholders recommended strengthening the e-sports ecosystem to unlock new employment and revenue opportunities for youth. They also advocated for the promotion of incubators and Centres of Excellence to nurture innovation, support startups, and develop specialised talent within the AVGC-XR domain.

This comes amid a broader national push — the Government of India's AVGC Task Force, constituted in 2022, had already identified the sector as a priority for generating high-quality employment and boosting exports. Haryana's dedicated policy would position it among the frontrunner states — alongside Karnataka and Maharashtra — in capturing this emerging opportunity.

Strategic Significance and What Comes Next

Haryana's pivot toward ESDM and AVGC-XR is strategically timed. India's electronics manufacturing sector is projected to reach $300 billion by 2026, driven by Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes and the global China-plus-one supply chain realignment. States that build enabling ecosystems now stand to capture disproportionate investment flows over the next decade.

Notably, Haryana already hosts significant IT and manufacturing infrastructure in corridors like Gurugram and Manesar, giving it a structural head start over many competing states. The new policy, once finalised and notified, is expected to build on this foundation with targeted sectoral incentives.

With the industrial policy currently in formulation, stakeholders and investors will be closely watching the official notification timeline. The government's ability to translate these consultations into a notified, time-bound policy — with clear implementation benchmarks — will determine whether Haryana can genuinely emerge as a global electronics and creative technology powerhouse.