Behind the electronics surprise: India's path to $500 billion by 2030

India's one Achilles heel in electronics production has been its heavy dependence on smartphones, that too a lot on exports

It was conceived as a “Make in India” boost to the electronics component industry across sectors — from mobile devices and consumer electronics to auto, industrial electronics, and telecom. But the start was slow, with government officials having to extend the deadline by a month after many companies failed to submit applications fast enough.

 

However, when the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) closed on September 30, the results came as a complete surprise. The response was overwhelming: As many as 249 applicants were ready to invest a total of over ₹1 trillion, more than double the scheme’s target. And its