“If this momentum holds, India’s role in consumer electronics will look very different a few years from now. The opportunity goes beyond import substitution. It lies in building systems that can move faster, adapt with less friction and scale without strain.” Saket Gaurav, CMD, Elista
Over the past decade, India’s consumer electronics sector has undergone a transformation that is far deeper than a surge in factory output. The real shift has been in the mindset that governs how products are designed, built and delivered. This change is also reflected in scale: India’s electronics production has grown nearly six-fold, from ₹1.9 lakh crore in 2014–15 to ₹11.3 lakh crore in 2024–25.
What was once an industry shaped largely by imports is now evolving into a manufacturing-led ecosystem—capable of responding to market needs with speed, competing globally on quality, and supporting the country’s ambition of greater technological self-reliance.
A New Phase of Scale in Domestic Manufacturing
India has invested in manufacturing for a long time, but the pace of change over the last few years has been markedly different. Across states like Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, new manufacturing facilities are coming up with a level of automation, scale and component integration that was rare even ten years ago. Today, categories such as televisions, washing machines, personal audio products, refrigerators and IT accessories are being produced in volumes that comfortably address domestic demand while also supporting exports.
What stands out is that this expansion is not just about capacity addition. It signals a shift in how manufacturers think and plan. With stronger local ecosystems in place, several product categories that once depended heavily on imports now make economic sense to produce locally. That shift is gradually positioning India as a serious global base for affordable and mid-premium consumer electronics.
Speed as a Competitive Advantage
What local manufacturing has changed most is the pace at which intent becomes execution. Not very long ago, product launches were planned around shipping schedules and import formalities. Once a model was locked, there was little flexibility. If costs moved, demand shifted, or a feature needed rethinking, the answer was usually to wait for the next cycle. That distance between planning and production slowed things down in ways the market rarely saw, but teams felt every day.
That distance is far smaller now. When signals come in from the field — from retailers, service teams, or even weather-driven demand, they can be acted on while production is still underway. Festival spikes, sudden heatwaves or category-specific surges no longer force a reset. Production plans can be altered mid-stream, output can be increased or slowed, and priorities can be reset without waiting on overseas suppliers. That ability to respond quickly now plays a quiet but decisive role in how brands remain relevant, not merely competitive.
Building Resilient Local Supply Chains
The last few years were a reality check for anyone relying heavily on global supply chains. What looked efficient on paper quickly became fragile when borders closed, freight stalled and costs swung without warning. Many manufacturers learned this the hard way. For Indian companies in particular, the experience underlined a simple truth: heavy dependence on imported components limits control at precisely the moments when control matters most.
That realization has quietly reshaped sourcing decisions. More parts that were earlier brought in from overseas — plastics, metal components, wiring and even certain sub-assemblies are now being developed closer to manufacturing sites. The impact is not dramatic or headline-grabbing, but it is meaningful. Planning cycles have shortened, inventory is easier to manage and exposure to shipping uncertainty has reduced. In a market where margins are thin and demand can shift without notice, having that flexibility has become less of an advantage and more of a necessity.
Quality and Innovation at the Forefront
For a long time, there was an unspoken assumption that products made locally would sit at the lower end of the range in terms of quality and features. That line of thinking doesn’t really hold anymore. Walk through manufacturing floors today and you see advanced panels being calibrated, software layers being tested, and efficiency targets being pushed much harder than before. The gap between what is designed for India and what is built for global markets has narrowed considerably.
This didn’t happen by chance. Companies have spent years building internal teams, bringing more engineering decisions closer to the factory, and tightening how quality is measured on the line. Partnerships with global suppliers help but so does having skilled people on the ground who understand both design intent and execution. What is emerging is not just assembly capability, but a more complete manufacturing mindset, one where products are shaped, refined and validated locally before they ever reach a store.
Make in India and the Momentum toward Self-Reliance
The Make in India programme gave the sector a clear directional push by encouraging local value addition and creating a more favourable investment environment. But the real impact is now visible in how companies think about their future roadmaps. Manufacturing is no longer seen as a cost centre—it is a strategic lever for building self-reliance, improving export readiness and owning more of the value chain.
Export opportunities are expanding as well. With rising global interest in “China+1” sourcing strategies, India has a window to position itself as a reliable alternative for international brands. For domestic players, this is a chance to take Indian-engineered products into markets across the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe.
Regional Growth and Talent Inclusion
Manufacturing activity is gradually spreading beyond traditional metro hubs. Over the last few years, Tier-2 and Tier-3 centres have taken on a larger role in electronics production, aided by a skilled workforce, better infrastructure and closer links to logistics networks. This shift matters. It spreads industrial activity more evenly and creates stable employment in regions that earlier had limited options beyond agriculture or small trades. From a business perspective, it also builds resilience into the system by widening the base on which the industry depends.
The Road Ahead
India’s manufacturing journey is still unfolding, but the trajectory is already visible on the ground. Plants are becoming more automated, supplier bases are tightening locally, and product decisions are increasingly shaped closer to where things are actually built. The conversation inside companies is changing too. It is no longer about whether something can be made in India, but how quickly it can be scaled without losing control over quality or cost.
If this momentum holds, India’s role in consumer electronics will look very different a few years from now. The opportunity goes beyond import substitution. It lies in building systems that can move faster, adapt with less friction and scale without strain. When that happens, the conversation shifts from catching up with global players to defining how speed and execution are approached. That change, more than any single metric, will shape the next phase of India’s manufacturing journey.
The author is Saket Gaurav, CMD, Elista
