Will India Become a Major Player in the Entire Electronics Stack?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- India is set to become a major player in the global electronics stack.
- Electronics production has surged sixfold in the last 11 years.
- Export growth has increased eightfold under current leadership.
- 46 projects in component manufacturing are underway.
- New semiconductor plants are expected to commence production this year.
New Delhi, Jan 5 (NationPress) Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated on Monday that Bharat is set to emerge as a significant player in the entire electronics stack — encompassing design, manufacturing, operating systems, applications, materials, and equipment.
In a post on X, the minister highlighted a pivotal achievement for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 'Make in India' initiative, noting that Apple is expected to ship mobile phones worth $50 billion by 2025.
According to Vaishnaw, electronics production has surged sixfold over the past 11 years, with exports increasing eightfold under PM Modi’s dedicated leadership. This growth has positioned electronics products among the top three exported items.
He also mentioned that the ecosystem is expanding, with 46 projects in component manufacturing along with laptop, server, and hearable device manufacturers establishing electronics manufacturing as a key driver of the manufacturing economy.
“This year, four semiconductor plants will commence commercial production. Currently, the electronics manufacturing sector employs approximately 2.5 million people, with several factories hosting over 5,000 workers at each site. Some facilities have as many as 40,000 employees in one location,” the minister reported, adding that “this is merely the beginning.”
Recently, the industry applauded the government's approval of 22 new projects under the third phase of the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS), marking a significant turning point in India’s path towards robust manufacturing and the establishment of globally competitive champions in electronics components.
With this approval, the total count of ECMS-backed projects climbs to 46, leading to a cumulative investment exceeding Rs 54,500 crore. Previous tranches included seven projects worth Rs 5,532 crore approved on October 22 and 17 projects amounting to Rs 7,172 crore approved on November 17. The rapid expansion across these tranches highlights the strong industry response and growing confidence in India's components manufacturing vision.
The IT Ministry indicated that the 22 newly approved projects in the third tranche are anticipated to generate production valued at Rs 2,58,152 crore and create 33,791 direct jobs.