.jpeg "79th Independence Day: India’s Manufacturing Renaissance")
India’s manufacturing landscape has witnessed a continuous surge, with drivers like bold innovations, supportive regulations, and strategic investments. However, to clearly understand its elevation, we must ask—how has India’s manufacturing journey rose since Independence? India’s manufacturing story started in 1947 with a clear-cut vision of self-sufficiency through state-owned businesses and heavy industry.
Over decades, private investment, and technology adoption have notably transformed the sector and changed its tide to its current position. Today, initiatives like Make in India manufacturing growth and the Production Linked Incentive India (PLI) scheme are pushing the country to a modern industrial shift.
“Strengthening our domestic supply chains is vital. Infrastructure and affordable credit will make India the factory of the world,” says Sajjan Jindal, Chairman, JSW Group.
The growth path is observable in automotive, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and renewable energy. In regard to the automotive sector, India not only became the world’s third-largest car market in 2023, surpassing Japan, with the support of strong domestic demand and export orders from Southeast Asia and Africa. This Independence Day, manufacturing India feature celebrates not just a historic journey but also the momentum that positions India as a strong competitor for global manufacturing leadership in the next decade.
Launched in 2014, with the aim of converting India into a global center for manufacturing through the development of industrial corridors, increased foreign investment, and simplified regulations. Its outcome is observable in the sector of defense, electronics, automotive and renewable energy, and it has been boosted to grow quickly by regulatory incentives.
“India is well positioned to emerge as one of the new centres of gravity,” notes Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group.
Despite the goal of increasing manufacturing GDP contribution to 25 percent is still to be met. However, the initiative has boosted infrastructure, created jobs, and inspired confidence. It has become a key point of the development of the Indian manufacturing sector, and it has more significantly displayed to international investors that India is committed to growth driven by manufacturing.
Also Read: Future of Simulation Driven Innovation in Automotive Lighting Technology
The PLI initiative is a performance-oriented incentive because it encourages companies to produce not assuring them. It has especially helped the industries such as the electronics, pharmaceutical industries, and solar manufacturing industries in which India is emerging as a world export competitive nation. With the support of the domestic production of high-value items, PLI decreases the dependency on imports and develops supply chains. For example, India’s mobile phone exports surged after the scheme’s introduction.
“HAL wants to create and own IPs, collaborate with private firms, and become a defence-platform exporter while boosting R&D for futuristic products,” said C. B. Ananthakrishnan, Chairman & Managing Director of HAL.
As a cleaner targeted policy, PLI is helping India move toward sustainable, export-led manufacturing, supporting the broader vision of self-reliance in manufacturing and making India more resilient to global supply disruptions.
India’s journey from its first steel plants to semiconductor fabrication facilities shows a remarkable industrial evolution. Export growth in auto components, pharmaceuticals, and textiles reflects increased competitiveness.
“India is no longer a cost destination—it’s becoming an innovation destination,” said Ratan Tata.
The manufacturing hubs of Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra are quite centric in the objective of producing electronics and semiconductors in India, and to a great extent Andhra Pradesh is moving into the scene, especially in terms of clean energy and its portions of electronics. This is followed by another milestone of the opening of the fifth manufacturing facility of Schaeffler India in Tamil Nadu in 2025 which is expected to contribute in powertrain and hybrid transmission components, an indication of evolving value-added capabilities in India and the shift to e-mobility and precision engineering. These developments are not only a wave but are elements of a self-sufficient manufacturing grounded by policy, innovation and international partnerships.
Also Read: Revolutionizing Aerospace Manufacturing with High-Precision Tooling
Aerospace manufacturing shows a clear example. Global giants like Airbus, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce are increasingly sourcing components from India, moving from low-value to high-value manufacturing.
“Technology transfer is now happening at a pace unseen before,” notes Baba Kalyani, CMD, Bharat Forge.
This change has resulted in notable revenue benefits for JJG Aero and Hical Technologies of Bengaluru. The growth of this sector comprises not only just exports; it also involves transfer of knowledge, skill development, and increased integration into international supply chains. India displays the desire to take the lead in innovative manufacturing sectors outside of conventional industries as it expands its aerospace supply capabilities.
New age corridors such as Delhi-Mumbai and Chennai-Bengaluru are transforming the definition of logistics efficiency by connecting factories to the ports and markets. They minimize transportation time, minimize expenses and enhance global supply chain integration. These corridors, together with Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are leading to inclusive industrialization, which is welcoming big investors and SMEs equally.
“Logistics efficiency is as important as manufacturing efficiency,” says Karan Adani, CEO, Adani Ports.
Improved connections also serve the rural industrialization process as it brings jobs and more equitable distribution of production advantages. This backbone infrastructure is a key facilitating factor for export-led manufacturing in India and will be decisive in making India self-reliant in manufacturing.
Manufacturing in India is challenged by risk of policy uncertainty, lapses in infrastructure, reliance on imports to meet critical supply needs and lack of skills, despite impressive growth. Investment may be impeded by such factors as complex compliance processes and supply chains that are fragmented. In order to address such issues, a combination of employee training investments, changes in laws, and technological adoption is required. To make it possible for India to take full advantage of this manufacturing renaissance and rank among the top three manufacturing powers in the world within the decade to come, these roadblocks must be dealt with.
The larger effort over the next decade will have Indian-based factories using AI, automation, and renewable energy to scale up globally competitive products. With the power of industrial corridors, R&D investment, and a skilled workforce, India can dominate in the manufacturing of electronics, green energy, aerospace, and healthcare. So, particularly, and assuming that today's policy remains unaltered, provided that the prosperity of private endeavor is accomplished, India can boast, before celebrating its 89th Independence Day, of having transformed the ideal of self-reliance in manufacturing into reality.
We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Read more...
