Telecom PLI in India is entering a new phase as global networking companies increasingly add local manufacturing to their technology and engineering footprints.
US-based Belden has begun manufacturing RUCKUS Networks’ ICX Ethernet switches at its Pune facility, initially for Indian customers.
The move adds a new layer to RUCKUS’ existing R&D and engineering presence in Bengaluru and Chennai, while also opening the possibility of deeper local sourcing.
RUCKUS is evaluating participation in the government’s telecom PLI scheme, highlighting how telecom equipment manufacturing in India is moving beyond assembly towards broader localization, domestic value addition and supply-chain development.
The development also adds momentum to India’s wider effort to build a competitive telecom manufacturing ecosystem.
The Pune operation expands RUCKUS’ Indian footprint from R&D, engineering and customer support into manufacturing.
Belden’s existing Pune facility will assemble and test ICX Ethernet switches, with the company planning to increase the share of its portfolio manufactured and sold in India over time. The company has not disclosed production capacity or specific investment figures.
The significance extends beyond one company. India’s telecom manufacturing ecosystem now includes domestic and multinational players across switches, optical equipment, wireless products and network infrastructure.
Companies such as Tejas Networks, HFCL and VVDN Technologies, alongside global manufacturers including Nokia, Samsung, Jabil and Flex, have been among the companies selected under the telecom PLI framework.
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The next challenge for telecom equipment localization is increasing domestic value addition rather than simply expanding final assembly.
Ethernet switches and other network equipment depend on a wider chain covering semiconductors, printed circuit boards, memory, power electronics, specialized components and testing capabilities.
For manufacturers, this creates a distinction between domestic telecom manufacturing and a genuinely localized supply chain.
RUCKUS has indicated that it intends to deepen local sourcing over time and is engaging with material and component suppliers about expanding their Indian presence. The company itself describes localization as a multi-year process.
This creates an opportunity for Indian electronics manufacturers and component suppliers to move further up the networking-equipment value chain rather than limiting participation to contract assembly.
The telecom PLI scheme was introduced to increase domestic production and reduce import dependence.
Its beneficiary base includes domestic companies such as Tejas Networks, HFCL, Dixon and VVDN, as well as global players including Nokia, Commscope, Jabil, Flex, Samsung and Foxconn.
The policy has also evolved towards design-led manufacturing. An amendment introduced an additional 1% incentive for products designed, developed and manufactured in India, signaling a shift from production volume alone towards greater technological value creation.
Against this backdrop, RUCKUS’ evaluation of PLI participation is relevant not simply as an incentive opportunity for one manufacturer, but as another test of whether the policy can attract global networking companies while encouraging domestic supplier development.
For Indian customers, the immediate impact of telecom equipment manufacturing in India could be greater local availability and closer operational support.
Local production can also bring manufacturers closer to enterprise and public-sector customers, potentially improving inventory planning, product support and lifecycle management.
This is particularly relevant as demand for networking infrastructure expands across data centers, manufacturing, logistics, education and other enterprise applications.
The larger manufacturing question, however, is whether companies such as RUCKUS can progressively bring more components, suppliers and product development capabilities into India
That will determine whether the country's telecom manufacturing push evolves from local production to deeper supply-chain localization and higher domestic value addition.
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