Mobile handset exports grew over eight-fold to ₹11,200 crore in 2018-19 and exceeded imports for the first time, industry body ICEA said in a note.
Handset exports during April-July 2019 reached around ₹7,000 crore, thereby creating grounds to hit an annual figure of ₹25,000 crore in the current fiscal, according to the Indian Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA).
“The mobile handset manufacturing industry is continuing its juggernaut. 800% year-on-year growth in exports has been witnessed during 2018-19 over 2017-18 figures though on a small base. This is a humble but robust beginning for a glorious future which bodes well for the nation,” ICEA chairman Pankaj Mohindroo wrote in the note.
Total number of handsets produced in India reached 29 crore units valued at ₹1.81 lakh crore in 2018-19, from a precariously placed 5.8 crore units manufactured in 2014-15 and valued at ₹18,900 crore with exports crashing to almost zero after shutdown of the Nokia plant, as per ICEA.
Net zero imports
The government has set “net zero imports” in electronics by 2020 under Digital India roadmap released in August 2014.
For mobile handset segment alone, the government, under the National Policy on Electronics 2019, had set a target of making 100 crore mobile handsets indigenously by 2025, valued at about ₹13 lakh crore.
Out of the 100-crore mobile handset manufacturing target, 60 crore units will be for exports valued at about ₹7 lakh crore.
“Import of handsets, as a percentage of domestic market demand, which was approximately 80% in 2014-15, came down appreciably to 6% in 2018-19 with the sector leading towards ‘net zero’ import status faster than expected,” he said.
He said the mobile handset exports at ₹11,200 crore have exceeded imports of handsets in 2018-19 which is recorded for the first time ever. “Mobile imports stood at ₹10,000 crore in 2018-19. Symbolically, this is a very important achievement for India,” he said.
