India is set to play a major role in the global shift towards more domestic and sustainable electronics production as it aims to dismantle China's near-monopoly in high-tech smartphones.
The move comes after New Delhi announced a plan to invest $6.5 billion in establishing a new smartphone manufacturing program, which will focus on creating more jobs and boosting local content. This is part of India's broader strategy to diversify its electronics supply chain by increasing the country's share of global smartphone production. The investment will be used to set up a manufacturing facility that will produce high-end smartphones for both domestic and export markets.
India aims to reduce its dependence on Chinese-made smartphones, which are now ubiquitous worldwide but also linked to concerns over intellectual property theft and labor rights in China. By increasing local content and manufacturing, India hopes to create more jobs and stimulate economic growth while reducing its reliance on foreign electronics companies. The government has also pledged to invest $13.3 billion in semiconductor production as part of this strategy, which will help to reduce the country's vulnerability to global supply chain disruptions.