India Becomes World’s 2nd Largest Mobile Phone Manufacturer: MeitY

India's electronics manufacturing sector has created nearly 25 lakh jobs over the past decade, with women accounting for nearly 70 per cent of the direct workforce in mobile phone manufacturing, according to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

The ministry said the sector has emerged as one of the country's fastest-growing sources of industrial employment, driven by expanding electronics and mobile phone manufacturing under initiatives such as Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat.

According to the ministry, the mobile manufacturing ecosystem currently supports around 12 lakh direct and indirect jobs across the value chain.

The PLI Scheme for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing has generated employment for around 1.8 lakh people, while other major government initiatives have created another 3.5 lakh jobs.

Highlighting women's growing participation in manufacturing, the ministry said, "The electronics manufacturing sector has emerged as a leading example of inclusive industrial development with women playing a pivotal role in its growth."

How has India’s electronics manufacturing sector boosted jobs and women’s participation?

It added that women account for nearly 30 per cent of the total workforce created in electronics manufacturing over the last decade, while around 90,000 women have been employed under the PLI Scheme for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing.

The ministry said major mobile manufacturing facilities in Hosur and Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu, and Bengaluru in Karnataka, are together providing quality employment to more than one lakh people, helping build a skilled workforce for the sector.

According to the ministry, India's electronics production has increased from Rs 1.90 lakh crore in 2014-15 to an estimated Rs 13.11 lakh crore in 2025-26, while electronics exports have grown from Rs 38,263 crore to Rs 4.24 lakh crore during the same period.

Mobile phone production has risen from Rs 18,900 crore to Rs 6.27 lakh crore, while exports have increased from Rs 1,566 crore to Rs 2.60 lakh crore, recording an extraordinary 165-fold growth.

The ministry said India has also emerged as the world's second-largest mobile phone manufacturer, with mobile phones becoming the country's largest export item in FY2025-26.

It added that the sector has strengthened domestic value addition, expanded manufacturing capacity and is supporting India's emergence as a global electronics manufacturing hub while contributing to the vision of Viksit Bharat.

(With inputs from ANI)