India’s Union IT Minister Announces Homegrown Make-in-India Smartphone Brands for Global Markets Within 18 Months

India is preparing to enter a new phase of its electronics journey, with plans to launch indigenous smartphone brands aimed at global markets within the next 18 months. 

The announcement was made by Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during the World Economic Forum in Davos, signalling a strategic shift from being primarily a manufacturing hub to becoming a creator of globally competitive technology brands.

“Now that we have a very substantial electronics ecosystem in our country, this is the time when we will be going for getting our own Indian brands in mobile phones,” Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnawsaid, highlighting India’s readiness to move up the value chain.

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India’s Electronic Market Growth 

During the last decade or so, the Indian electronic manufacturing scene has undergone a significant shift. As recently as 2014, India had only two units manufacturing mobile phone equipment. Today, it has over 300 such units. 

As recently as last month in 2024, more than 99% of the total telephone equipment sold in the country itself had been manufactured in the country. In the academic year 2014-15, the figure stood at a mere 26%.

The World Economic Forum saw India securing essential meetings with all of the world’s ecosystem to produce thousands of components it takes to make a simple mobile phone. 

The “very substantial” electronics industry is already backing India, as mentioned again by Vaishnaw: a wide electronic components supply chain is already available.

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Government Support and Policy Push

According to officials, the infrastructure is almost in place to enable India to support end-to-end smartphone brands, from design and research to large-scale manufacturing. 

Strong political and economic support, including the production-linked incentives and investments in semiconductor manufacturing, is likely to contribute to enable domestic companies to compete with established global players.

Experts say that this marks a massive step toward reducing reliance on foreign smartphone brands and simultaneously reinforcing domestic innovation capabilities.

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What It Means for Consumers and the Economy? 

For consumers, this means more choices that fit with specific local needs. To the economy, analysts foresee job creation in design, R&D, and advanced manufacturing. On the global front, successful Indian brands could help raise the country's position in the international tech market.

It also closely aligns with India's broader Make in India strategy and signifies a decisive push to build globally recognised technology brands from within the country.

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