Ashwini Vaishnaw takes dig at critics of India's electronics manufacturing progress

New Delhi, July 10: Taking a jibe at opposition parties, Railways, I&B and Electronics IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has said the reality of mobile phone, electronics and telecom product manufacturing is known to all “except those who don’t like our country’s progress”.

In a post on X social media platform, the Minister said: “Guess who else, apart from Congress, doesn’t like our country emerging as a manufacturer of mobile phones and telecom equipment?” The Minister informed that in 2014-15, India produced only 5.8 crore mobile phones and imported about 21 crore mobile phones.

“In 2023-24, Bharat produced 33 crore phones and exported close to 5 crore mobile phones,” the Minister added. Telecom equipment manufacturing was a dream for India and the production-linked incentive (PLI) enabled telecom manufacturing. The telecom equipment manufacturing sales have now crossed Rs 50,000 crore, creating more than 17,800 direct jobs and many more indirect jobs.

Within three years of the telecom PLI scheme, the telecom equipment export has crossed Rs 10,500 crore, informed the Minister. The gap between telecom imports and exports has reduced significantly with the total value of goods (both telecom equipment and mobiles put together) exported is over Rs 1.49 lakh crore as against imports of over Rs 1.53 lakh crore in FY 23-24.