Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing, primarily focused on mobile phone production, has created 1.3 lakh direct jobs in India as of June 2025.
This was confirmed by Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Jitin Prasada, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Friday.
PLI Scheme: Investment and Production Milestones
Since its launch, the mobile PLI scheme has attracted ₹12,390 crore in cumulative investment, resulting in ₹8.44 lakh crore worth of cumulative production.
These figures reflect the scheme’s growing impact on India’s electronics manufacturing landscape, particularly in mobile devices.
The initiative was designed to incentivize domestic and global manufacturers to expand production capacity in India.
It offers financial incentives based on incremental sales of products manufactured in the country.
Export Growth and Import Reduction
One of the most notable outcomes of the scheme has been India’s transformation from a net importer to a net exporter of mobile phones.
According to government data, mobile phone exports surged 127 times, from ₹1,500 crore in 2014–15 to ₹2 lakh crore in 2024–25.
In parallel, India’s dependence on imported mobile phones has dropped dramatically. In 2014–15, 75% of domestic mobile demand was met through imports.
By 2024–25, that figure had plummeted to just 0.02%, indicating a near-complete shift to domestic production.
India’s Position in Global Mobile Manufacturing
Jitin emphasized that India is now the second-largest mobile manufacturing country in the world, a position achieved through sustained policy support and industry participation.
The PLI scheme has played a central role in this transformation, boosting not only production and exports but also employment and investment.
India has exported electronics goods worth ₹4.65 lakh crore under the broader PLI framework.
This reflects the scheme’s significant contribution to strengthening the country’s trade balance.
PLI Scheme: Employment Impact and Future Outlook
The creation of 1.3 lakh direct jobs is a significant milestone, especially in a sector that is increasingly seen as a driver of India’s digital economy.
The reported figure accounts only for direct employment under the scheme.
It will create substantial indirect jobs in areas such as logistics, component manufacturing, and supporting services.
The success of the mobile PLI scheme is being recognized as a model for industrial policy in electronics.
Experts propose replicating its framework across segments like semiconductors, wearables, and IT hardware.
Policy Implications
The government’s focus on manufacturing-led growth aligns with broader goals under the “Make in India” and “Digital India” missions.
The mobile PLI scheme has shown that targeted incentives can effectively stimulate growth.
This impact is amplified when supported by strong infrastructure and transparent policy frameworks.
India is steadily strengthening its position as a global hub for electronics manufacturing.
The mobile PLI scheme exemplifies how targeted industrial policy can drive growth and competitiveness.
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