News Brief
Government To Focus On Software Design In India To Complete Electronics Manufacturing Cycle, Says Ashwini Vaishnaw
Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw
The government has completed the electronics manufacturing cycle with its new initiative to incentivise components, and the next step will be focusing on developing their software in India, said Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Financial Express reported.
“Once that happens, the backward and forward integration would be complete,” he added.
Vaishnaw elaborated on the importance of software design, explaining that the newly approved electronics component manufacturing scheme, which was cleared by the Union Cabinet last week, focuses on the hardware aspect of the electronics ecosystem.
This includes passive components and sub-assemblies essential for manufacturing electronic devices.
“Once the software design starts happening in the country, it would cover the entire value chain of electronics production, from raw materials and components to finished hardware and the software that powers it,” Vaishnaw was quoted as saying by Financial Express.
In simpler terms, not only will components like printed circuit boards, lithium-ion battery cells, and sub-assemblies for displays and camera modules be manufactured in India, but their software designing will also begin within the country.
He added that this integrated approach could transform India from a manufacturing hub into a full-fledged electronics system design and manufacturing (ESDM) centre.
Vaishnaw emphasised that achieving this goal would require a stronger collaboration between academia, particularly IITs, and the industry.
The government’s Rs 22,919-crore incentive scheme, announced last week, seeks to boost domestic production of key electronic components.
Spanning six years, the scheme is expected to attract Rs 59,350 crore in investments, generate Rs 4.56 lakh crore worth of electronic products, and create 91,600 jobs.
The scheme offers three primary incentives: employment-linked benefits, capital expenditure support, and turnover-based incentives.
