Piyush Goyal asks electronics cos to boost manufacturing, cut import dependence

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday called for scaling up domestic manufacturing across the electronics value chain to promote self-reliance and reduce import dependence.

Issues related to exports of the mobile and electronics sector were discussed during a meeting of industry representatives and the minister, along with government officials.

"The minister underscored the need to deepen domestic capabilities across the electronics value chain, noting that greater self-reliance in both finished products and components will be key to sustaining India's export momentum and reducing import dependence," the commerce ministry said in a statement.

The country's electronic goods imports rose by about 17 per cent to USD 56.15 billion in the April-September period of this fiscal.

Exports, on the other hand, surged 42 per cent to USD 22.2 billion in April-September 2025 compared to USD 15.6 billion in the same period of the preceding year.

Smartphone exports grew 58 per cent to USD 13.38 billion from USD 8.47 billion in the corresponding period of 2024.

The ministry said the ongoing free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the EU, UK, and EFTA aim to unlock new market access opportunities for Indian electronics manufacturers.

Meanwhile, the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) and Production Linked Incentive (PLI) plans are boosting domestic manufacturing depth and reducing import dependence.

India's plan to achieve USD 180-200 billion in electronics exports by 2031 was also discussed during the deliberations.