Electronics Industry Plans To Localise 16 Key Products By 2026

New Delhi, Jan 10 (KNN) India’s electronics industry has informed the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) that it is working to domestically develop 16 key products — 11 intermediate and 5 finished goods — by 2026 as part of efforts to reduce import reliance, particularly on China. 

The move aligns with Prime Minister Modi’s call at the Fifth National Conference of Chief Secretaries to identify 100 products for localisation to strengthen domestic manufacturing and economic resilience under the Viksit Bharat vision.

Focus on Components, Sub‑Assemblies and Finished Goods

The Indian Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA), representing major industry players including Tata Electronics, Foxconn, Vivo Mobile India, Apple, Dixon Technologies and others, submitted a detailed proposal to the PMO outlining products already in local production or scheduled for localisation by 2026, reported Business Standard.

The industry’s roadmap emphasises building capabilities across the supply chain — from part sub‑assemblies and components to capital equipment for manufacturing. 

Targeted intermediate products include display and camera module sub‑assemblies, advanced printed circuit boards (such as high‑density interconnect and flexible PCBs), lithium‑ion cells for digital devices, enclosures and other parts critical to electronic devices.

On the finished goods front, laptops, tablets, hearables and wearables have been identified as priority products for domestic manufacturing by 2026. 

ICEA officials noted that smartphones — once dependent on imports for roughly 78 per cent of domestic demand — have already transitioned to nearly entirely local production, with 99.2 per cent of units sold in India now manufactured domestically. Exports in the broader electronics sector reached USD 24.1 billion in 2024‑25.

Investment and Job Creation Prospects

ICEA estimates cumulative private‑sector investment commitments exceeding Rs 1.1 trillion for the localisation of these products, potentially enabling production output of more than Rs 10.34 trillion and creating around 141,000 skilled jobs. 

These investments, the association says, are responding to incentives under the government’s Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS), which is designed to support deeper localisation and supply‑chain development.

Broader Policy Context

The industry’s initiative to target 16 products fits into a wider policy framework that includes government support schemes aimed at strengthening local manufacturing. 

Recent approvals under the ECMS have drawn investments of more than Rs 41,800 crore for projects covering printed circuit boards, lithium‑ion cells and other electronics components — further backing import substitution and export readiness across the sector.

(KNN Bureau)