The study tracks India's extraordinary journey from an import-reliant mobile market in 2014- 15 to a global production and export hub in 2024-25

ANI New Delhi

A study by Centre for Development Studies (CDS) has quantifiably ascertained the progress of the Mobile Manufacturing sector in India, with India rapidly ascending to become the world's 3rd-largest mobile phone manufacturing-based exporter at USD 20.5 billion (CY2024).

This transformation, starting in 2017, is attributed to sustained government support, and strategic integration into global value chains (GVCs) with a sharp policy pivot towards exports with the launch of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme in 2020, according to an official statement. 

The study, led by Professor C Veeramani, Director and RBI Chair professor, tracks India's extraordinary journey from an import-reliant mobile market in 2014- 15 to a global production and export hub in 2024-25. The study has found that mobile phone exports surged from just USD 0.2 Billion in 2017-18 to USD 24.1 Billion in 2024- 25, driven primarily by large-scale export production.

"This staggering 11,950 per cent increase marks a structural shift in India's manufacturing orientation. Exports now outpace domestic demand and are the primary driver of production growth. The country has been recording a robust positive net export trend in mobile phones since 2018-19," the statement read.