Government Initiatives

• About 80% of the Production-Linked Incentive scheme (PLI) to encourage manufacturing in the country, which covers 14 industries and has a total investment of Rs 3 lakh crore (US$ 38.99 billion), is mainly focused on three major sectors: electronics, automobiles, and solar panel production.
• PLI scheme for large scale electronics manufacturing launched by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in April 2020 has been extended from existing five-year band (FY21-FY25) to six-year (FY21-FY26).
• In September 2021, India started discussions with Taiwan to alleviate the global semiconductor chip shortage. According to an exclusive Bloomberg report, this may bring chip production to South Asia by end-2021, coupled with tariff reductions on components used to make semiconductors. Officials from New Delhi and Taipei recently negotiated a proposal to set up a semiconductor facility worth US$ 7.5 billion in India; the facility will supply everything from 5G devices to electric cars.
• In September 2021, the Indian Institute of Technology Indore and the Confederation of Indian MSME in Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) and Information Technology (CIMEI), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate and share knowledge and best practices as well as offer technological support for the growth of Indian start-ups and SMEs.
• In May 2021, the cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, approved a proposal by the Department of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises to implement the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme 'National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage' to achieve manufacturing capacity of 50 GWh (Giga Watt Hour) of ACC and 5 GWh of 'Niche' ACC, with an outlay of Rs. 18,100 crore (US$ 2.47 billion).
• As per Union Budget 2021-22, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has been allocated Rs. 9,720.66 crore (US$ 1.33 billion). In the allocated budget, revenue expenditure allocation is Rs. 9,274.66 crore (US$ 1.27 billion) and capital expenditure allocation is Rs. 446 crore (US$ 61.34 million).
• The key government initiatives such as 'Make in India' and 'Digital India' improved the country's EoDB. In 2021-22, the total budget allocation towards the 'Digital India' programme is Rs. 6,806.33 crore (US$ 936.19 million).
• In January 2021, the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) proposed a RoDTEP rate of 2% on smartphones, 2.4% on featurephones, 2% on tablets/laptops, 3.4% on battery chargers and 1.48% on battery packs.
• In December 2020, the Government of India issued expression of interest (EoI) to set up or expand the existing semiconductor wafer/ device fabrication (FAB) facilities in the country or acquire semiconductor FABs overseas.
• To accelerate quantum computing-led research & development and enable new scientific discoveries, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), will establish a quantum computing applications lab in the country.
• On November 11, 2020, Union Cabinet approved the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme in 10 key sectors (including electronics and white goods) to boost India's manufacturing capabilities, exports and promote the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative.
• On December 02, 2020, 'Hubli ESDM Exchange' (HEX), an incubation centre for the development of electronic device design (ESDM), backed and funded by the state government's Karnataka Innovation & Technology Services (KITS) and managed by the India Electronics & Semiconductor Association (IESA), was launched at the KLE Tech Park of the KLE Technical University (KLETU) in Hubballi.
  • A fund of Rs. 3.2 crore (US$ 433.46 thousand) for three years has been approved by the Department of Electronics, IT, BT, Science & Technology.
• Under the PLI scheme for IT Hardware, the approved enterprises are estimated to manufacture equipment worth >US$ 21.62 billion over the next four years. Of the total production, foreign companies have suggested production worth US$ 11.38 billion, whereas domestic enterprises have planned a production of US$10.20 billion.