India’s telecom revolution has redefined the role of the mobile phone, transforming it into a powerful engine for economic growth, social inclusion, and digital empowerment. Once considered a luxury, mobile connectivity is now central to daily life, particularly in rural India, where smartphones are increasingly serving as banks, classrooms, and entertainment hubs.
According to the Comprehensive Modular Survey: Telecom (January-March 2025), nearly 96.8 percent of rural residents aged 15-29 reported using mobile phones during this period, closely rivaling urban usage at 97.6 percent. With 85.5 percent of Indian households owning at least one smartphone, the device has become indispensable in facilitating access to digital services, education, and government platforms such as the Digital Crop Survey, mKisan Portal, and National Pest Surveillance System app. Farmers, for instance, are leveraging these tools to access real-time market prices, weather alerts, and pest advisories, integrating technology into the very fabric of rural livelihoods.
Over the past decade, India’s mobile sector has undergone a dramatic metamorphosis. In 2014, the country had only two mobile manufacturing units, heavily reliant on imports for meeting domestic demand. Today, India boasts over 300 manufacturing facilities producing more than 330 million handsets annually, with nearly a billion mobile phones in circulation nationwide. This domestic production boom has generated over 12 lakh jobs, strengthening the socio-economic fabric of the country and demonstrating the employment potential of a robust electronics manufacturing ecosystem.
The growth of mobile manufacturing is deeply intertwined with India’s emergence as a global digital economy powerhouse.
As of 2025, India ranks as the third most digitalised economy worldwide, with projections indicating that its digital economy will expand nearly twice as fast as its overall GDP in the coming years. By 2029-30, digital contributions are expected to account for almost one-fifth of the nation’s income, surpassing traditional sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing. The electronics sector, spearheaded by mobile production, has played a pivotal role in this trajectory, with total electronics output rising from Rs 1.9 lakh crore in 2014-15 to Rs 11.3 lakh crore in 2024-25.
Mobile production alone has witnessed a staggering 28-fold increase over the past decade, escalating from Rs 18,000 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 5.45 lakh crore in 2024-25. Government initiatives, particularly the ‘Make in India’ campaign and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, have been central to this growth. Strategic policy measures have encouraged companies to expand deep component manufacturing, enabling India to move up the value chain and reduce dependence on imported parts, thereby advancing self-reliance in electronics.
On the export front, India’s rise has been equally remarkable. Smartphones have emerged as the fourth-largest export item from the country, with mobile exports skyrocketing from Rs 1,500 crore in FY 2014-15 to a record Rs 2,00,000 crore in FY 2024-25, marking a 127-fold increase. India has overtaken China in smartphone exports to the United States, underlining its growing clout in global supply chains. Apple alone exported Rs 1.1 lakh crore worth of iPhones from India in 2024, achieving a 42 percent year-on-year growth, while Samsung’s Noida facility contributed to total mobile exports worth US$20.4 billion. These figures illustrate India’s emergence as a major player in high-value global electronics manufacturing.
A robust policy framework has underpinned this success. Beyond Make in India and the PLI Scheme, the government’s Digital India initiative, the National Policy on Electronics (2019), and schemes such as SPECS (Scheme for Promotion of Electronics Components and Semiconductors) and ECMS (Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme) have collectively created an enabling ecosystem for investment and innovation. The ECMS alone is projected to attract investments exceeding Rs 59,000 crore and create around 1 lakh direct jobs in the next six years, signalling a long-term commitment to strengthening domestic electronics capabilities.
Global market dynamics have further favoured India. With multinational corporations diversifying production away from China under the so-called China+1 strategy, India has become a preferred destination for setting up new manufacturing bases. This shift is expected to boost India’s share of global electronics exports significantly in the coming decade.
Looking ahead, the government has ambitious targets for the sector. Electronics production is expected to reach USD 300 billion by 2026, and India is projected to account for 4-5 percent of global electronics exports by 2030. These targets are aligned with the country’s broader vision of leveraging digital growth to accelerate overall economic development. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised India’s achievements in this sphere, stating, “We’re rapidly moving towards being No. 1 in mobile phone manufacturing.”
India’s mobile revolution is not merely a story of industrial growth but also of social transformation. Smartphones are enabling access to education, banking, healthcare, and government services, particularly in underserved regions. Rural youth are increasingly using mobile technology to bridge socio-economic gaps, while urban consumers benefit from an expanding range of digital services. As incomes rise and digital literacy improves, the impact of mobile technology on daily life and economic opportunity is only set to deepen.
India’s journey from a mobile-import dependent nation to a global manufacturing and export hub is a testament to visionary policy-making, strategic investments, and entrepreneurial dynamism. With continued government support, a growing domestic market, and integration into global supply chains, India is well-positioned to redefine its role in the international economy. The mobile phone, once a simple communication device, has now become a cornerstone of the country’s digital future, linking economic growth with social empowerment and marking a new chapter in India’s technological ascent.
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