The Indian government is gearing up to roll out a new initiative designed to enhance the domestic manufacturing capabilities for electronic components used in mobile devices. This plan includes introducing incentives focused on certain key segments of the electronic production line.
Expansion of Manufacturing Capabilities
Under the newly proposed incentive scheme, the focus will be on 12 specific component sub-assemblies out of the 30 that comprise a mobile phone. The incentives will be linked to several key areas including production volumes, capital investments, and the creation of new jobs. The overarching aim of this strategy is to elevate India’s domestic value addition in mobile phone manufacturing from the existing 15% to a target range of 25-30% over the next seven years.
Strategic Shift in Electronics Production
Historically, India has seen rapid growth in its mobile phone production sector, achieving the status of the second-largest manufacturer globally, trailing only behind China. Building on this success, the new plan not only aims to enhance value addition in mobile manufacturing but also to broaden the scope to encompass IT hardware, servers, and semiconductor chips. This initiative is seen as a strategic move to leverage the shifting dynamics in the global electronics supply chain, which is gradually moving away from traditional hubs like China.
Industry Collaboration and Future Prospects
The formulation of this comprehensive incentive package is the result of close collaboration between the electronics industry and the government. Expected to be implemented within the next 9 to 12 months, it involves prominent electronics firms such as Dixon Technologies and Zetwerk. These companies are looking to augment their roles within the electronics supply value chain by producing high-precision components like display modules through strategic partnerships with other technology firms.
Furthermore, there is a concerted effort to establish a significant footprint in the non-semiconductor components sector, which represents about 50% of the cost for materials in both mobile phones and laptops. Although the mobile assembly sector is known for its thin profit margins, expanding into the component manufacturing space is anticipated to yield higher margins, despite a potentially lower asset turnover.
As India positions itself more prominently on the global stage of electronics manufacturing, the forthcoming government plans and concerted industry efforts are set to significantly bolster the local production ecosystem for electronic components. This strategic push into deeper value-added manufacturing and component production is poised to enhance the nation’s industrial landscape and economic growth in the coming years.
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