Wed Sep 18 11:37:00 UTC 2024: ## India Emerges as Global Mobile Manufacturing Powerhouse

**New Delhi:** India has cemented its position as the world’s second-largest mobile phone manufacturer, with domestic production reaching a staggering Rs 4.1 lakh crore in the last decade. This surge is attributed to the government’s strategic initiatives like the Product Linked Incentive (PLI) and Phased Manufacturing Program (PMP) schemes, which have attracted major global players like Samsung, Apple, and Google to set up manufacturing facilities in India.

According to a report by the Broadband India Forum (BIF), the electronics sector has witnessed rapid growth, with local production nearly doubling from $48 billion in FY17 to $101 billion in FY23, and reaching $115 billion in the current fiscal. Mobile phones now constitute over 43% of total electronics production.

The report highlights the impact of government policies, including tariffs and customs rates, on India’s global value chain insertion. It also examines challenges related to ease of doing business, women workforce participation, and opportunities to reduce the gender gap.

“The ‘Make in India’ initiative has been instrumental in transforming the country into a global hub for mobile device manufacturing,” said TV Ramachandran, President of BIF. “Strategic policies and production-linked incentives have attracted major global players and encouraged domestic manufacturers to invest in India.”

The rise of India’s mobile phone manufacturing has led to a significant decrease in dependence on imports and created thousands of jobs in the manufacturing sector.

“The government’s priority has always been to enable PLI beneficiaries to maximize their benefits, meet targets, and ultimately enhance India’s business environment,” stated S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized the impressive growth of the mobile phone industry in India, highlighting a threefold increase in domestic production and a nearly 100-fold jump in exports over the last six years. This signifies the industry’s maturity and its potential to become a global leader in mobile phone manufacturing.

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