The production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for electronics manufacturing has succeeded in attracting a cumulative investment to the tune of Rs 10,213 crore till December 2024, leading to the creation of over 1.37 lakh direct jobs and boosting the country exports, according to information tabled in the Parliament.

Under the special incentive scheme, cumulative production of Rs 662,247 crore and additional employment of 137,189 (direct jobs) has been achieved, Union Minister of State for electronics and IT, Jitin Prasada, informed the Rajya Sabha.

"Due to the policies of the government for promotion of electronics manufacturing, India has become a mobile phone exporter now from a mobile importing country in 2014- 15," the minister said in the written reply.

Driven by the PLI scheme, the production of mobile phones has increased from about 60 million mobile phones in 2014-15 to about 330 million mobile phones in 2023-24. This is more than 5 times increase in number of mobile phones manufactured over the last 10 years.

In value terms, the production of mobile phones has increased from a mere Rs 19,000 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 422,000 crore in 2023-24 growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 41 per cent.

Further, since the inception of the PLI Scheme for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing, mobile phone exports have increased from Rs 22,868 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 129,074 crore in 2023-24 growing at a CAGR of 78 per cent.

Further, whereas in 2015, 74 per cent of all mobile phones sold in India were imported, India has now reached a point where 99.2 per cent of the mobile handsets being used in India are made in India.

The manufacturing of various electronic components/sub-assemblies for mobile phones such as batteries, chargers, PCBA, camera modules, display module, enclosures, USB Cable, Ferrite, and Glass covers has also started in India, the minister stated.

"This clearly indicates that the complete ecosystem for mobile phone manufacturing is developing in the country. The existing component manufacturers are expanding their existing capacity and new players are also exploring India as a potential market," he pointed out.

The small domestic mobile phone manufacturers under the PLI scheme have also made a cumulative investment of Rs 787 crore, leading to cumulative production of Rs 34,111 crore and generating additional employment of 25,288 (direct jobs) till December 2024.