Local manufacturing of laptop and tablet a $100 bn opportunity for India, ICEA report says

The manufacturing of laptops and tablets presents a $100-billion opportunity for India by 2025 provided there is a 'conducive policy environment' and incentives said the joint report by industry body India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA) and consultancy major EY on Wednesday.

In a report titled 'Atmanirbhar Bharat: India's Turning Point', the industry body pitched for a PLI scheme for manufacturing of laptops and tablets on the lines of the one introduced for mobile phones in April 2020.

"To reach the National Policy on Electronics, 2019, targets and for turning into a global manufacturing hub, we cannot depend on mobile phones manufacturing alone," ICEA Chairman Pankaj Mohindroo said." This presents an opportunity for India to ramp up the export of 'Made in India' laptops and tablets. By making in India for the world and getting a sizable share of the global market will give us a manufacturing value of US$100 billion by 2025," he further added.

According to the report, India imports 87% of its laptops and 63% of its tablets from China right now. And it reveals that local manufacturing will help in reducing the import of laptops and tablets from China. The report also estimated that this will also create 5 lakh additional jobs and a cumulative inflow of foreign exchange to the tune of $75 billion, and investment of over $1 billion.

It further recommended ways through which policymakers can pave the way to achieve this goal.