‘Make in India’ iniative, one of the flagship initiatives of the honorable Bharatiya Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was launched globally in September 2014 as a part of Bharat’s renewed focus on Manufacturing. The objective of the Initiative is to promote Bharat as the most preferred global manufacturing destination. Recently, Kunal Gupta, CEO of Motorad, E-bike company announced the export-ready batch of Made in Bharat E-bike to be shipped to Europe. This is just a glimpse in the incredible impetus that ‘Make in India’ has created in Bharat’s economic landscape.
Overview of the programs
Since the launch of this landmark initiative, the Government of Bharat has taken several reform initiatives to create an enabling environment for providing an impetus to manufacturing, design, innovation and startups. Bharat has emerged as the fastest growing economy globally. Bharat’s rate of growth of 7.5% is accelerating and it remains an oasis of growth in the midst of a subdued economic landscape across the world. The Hon’ble Prime Minister has given impetus to growth with several innovative initiatives such as “Make in India”, “Digital India”, “100 Smart Cities” and “Skill India”.
The Make in India initiative aims to make Bharat an integral part of the global supply chain. It is about making Indian companies excel in a globalized workspace. Bharat has vigorously opened up its economy – Defence, Railways, Construction, Insurance, Pension Funds, Medical Devices have all been rapidly opened up for Foreign Direct Investment. India today is one of the most open economies of the world.
In order to achieve this, the Government of Bharat has taken up a series of measures to radically improve Ease of Doing Business. Its objective – make the regulatory environment easy and simple for business to flourish. It has effectively used technology to converge and integrate departments. 14 services are integrated with eBiz portal which will function as a single window portal for obtaining clearances from various government agencies.
“Make in India” initiative has been a cornerstone in transforming Bharat into a global manufacturing hub. With a strong focus on enhancing industrial capabilities, fostering innovation, and creating world-class infrastructure, the initiative aims to position Bharat as a key player in the global economy. Supported by major programs like Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes, PM GatiShakti, the National Logistics Policy, and comprehensive tax reforms like the Goods and Services Tax (GST), “Make in India” continues to drive economic growth, job creation, and global competitiveness. The key initiatives driving this initiative is shown below:
This article attempts to provide glimpses on the several multi-disciplinary and multi-faceted success stories due to the Make in India initiative.
1. INS Vagsheer: ‘Make in India’ submarine with advanced warfare systems and stealth features
INS Vagsheer is the sixth submarine of the Bharatiya Navy’s Kalvari-class, based on the French ‘Scorpene’ design. This submarine is part of ‘Project 75,’ which involved technical cooperation with the French company Naval Group. Subsequently, it was developed under the “Make in India” initiative with the collaboration of several Bharatiya companies. INS Vagsheer has already earned a formidable reputation as a ‘hunter-killer’ submarine, thanks to its advanced stealth capabilities, including cutting-edge acoustic absorption technology and a revolutionary air-independent propulsion system. First of these submarines was commissioned in 2017, whereas its last consignment was completed in 2025.
2. MSI Laptop manufacturing plant by Syrma SGS in Chennai
In a groundbreaking development for Bharat’s electronics manufacturing sector, Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Railways, and Information & Broadcasting Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated Syrma SGS Technology’s state-of-the-art laptop assembly line in Chennai in January 2025. Syrma SGS has partnered with Taiwanese IT company MSI (Micro-Star International) to manufacture their laptops in India.
The facility, located in the Madras Export Processing Zone (MEPZ), marks a pivotal shift in Bharat’s ‘Make in India’ journey, extending its dominance from mobile phones to IT hardware manufacturing especially the Laptops. The new assembly line will initially produce 100,000 laptops annually, with a scalable capacity of up to 1 million units within the next 1-2 years. Syrma SGS currently operates four manufacturing units in Chennai, with its Unit 3 now initiating laptop production, as per a press release by the Ministry of Electronics & IT.
3. Bharat’s semiconductor ambitions
In March 2024, Narendra Modi laid foundation of three manufacturing and assembly facilities at Dholera and Sanand in Gujarat and Morigaon in Assam. In December 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Semicon India programme with a total outlay of Rs 76,000 crore for the development of semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in our country. The programme aims to provide financial support to companies investing in semiconductors, display manufacturing and design ecosystems.
The government has also set up India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) as an independent business division within Digital India Corporation. This division has administrative and financial autonomy to formulate and drive India’s long-term strategies for developing semiconductors and display manufacturing facilities and semiconductor design ecosystem.
India is also attracting significant foreign investments to bolster its semiconductor industry. NXP Semiconductors plans to invest over $1 billion to double its R&D efforts in India, and Analog Devices is collaborating with the Tata Group to explore semiconductor manufacturing within the country. Micron Technology is setting up a $2.75 billion assembly and testing plant in Gujarat, expected to create 5,000 direct jobs and 15,000 community jobs. According to a Reuters report, India’s semiconductor market is projected to reach $63 billion by 2026.
4. Solar PV manufacturing capacity increases around 30 fold
India’s solar PV module manufacturing capacity has increased from 2.3 GW to 67 GW in the last 10 years because of measures taken under Make In India initiatives, the Ministry of Renewable said in September 2024. Furthermore, 48 GW of fully or partially integrated solar PV module manufacturing projects are currently under implementation under the solar PLI scheme, the ministry said as “Make in India” initiative of Government of India completes 10 years.
5. Bharatiya Army’s push for indigenous development of ammunition
The Indian Army has drastically reduced its dependence on imported ammunition, aligning with the ‘Make in India’ policy. Senior defence officials emphasized the crucial role of private sector industries in achieving this milestone.
The Indian Army, with an annual budget of around Rs 20,000 crore for ammunition, previously allocated 35-40% for imports. This figure has now been cut to less than 10%, with plans to reduce it further. “Now, that requirement has been cut down to less than 10 per cent, and we are looking to reduce it further in the next couple of years,” defence officials told ANI in May 2024. The indigenization effort includes ammunition for various weapon systems like tanks, artillery guns, air defence missiles, and grenade launchers.
Indigenization not only reduces import dependency but also expands India’s export base. Indigenous firms, both public and private, are meeting global ammunition demands. Public sector firm Munitions India Limited (MIL) and private companies such as Solar Industries Limited, Adani Defence, Hughes Precision, and SMPP Limited have been pivotal in this transition. MIL, in particular, has received significant export orders for artillery shells, fostering new supporting industries.
6. Apple’s ‘Make in India’ success: Exceeds PLI target by producing iPhones worth over Rs 1 lakh crore in Bharat
In a significant achievement, Apple, along with its three contract manufacturers, have reached a new milestone by producing iPhones worth over Rs 1 trillion in the first 11 months of the current financial year (2023-24). Surpassing its target two years ahead of schedule, the tech giant has also exceeded its third-year target by 33 per cent.
Under the PLI scheme, each of Apple’s suppliers was mandated to produce phones worth a minimum of Rs 15,000 crore to claim incentives. As per reports, Apple vendors are expected to end FY24 with iPhone production valued at Rs 1.1 trillion, making India account for 12 per cent of the company’s global iPhone production. This significant ramp-up in manufacturing represents a nearly 100 per cent growth over the previous financial year.
Notably, Apple now ranks among India’s top 10 manufacturing companies in terms of revenue. Foxconn, Wistron, and Pegatron, the three suppliers, contribute to multiple iPhone models’ production, including the latest iPhone 15 launched in September 2023.
7. Tata Boeing Aerospace delivers 250th fuselage for AH-64 Apache attack helicopter
By the end of December 2023, Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL) had delivered the 250th fuselage for the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter from its state-of-the-art facility in Hyderabad. The company said that these fuselages are manufactured for customers around the world, including the US. Army, and most recently, the six are on order with the Indian Army.
“This milestone reflects TBAL’s continuous dedication to bolstering India’s defence capabilities and advancing the nation’s indigenous manufacturing prowess,” the company said. TBAL’s 14,000 sqm facility serves as a global sole source supplier for Apache fuselages, with over 90 per cent of the parts used in the Apache aerostructure assemblies are manufactured in India through more than 100 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) suppliers, the statement said.
8. Luggage maker Samsonite expands its Nashik plant to make India its largest manufacturing base
Samsonite, the well-known global luggage manufacturer and retailer planned during mid of 2022 to expand its production capacity in India by establishing the largest manufacturing operation in Maharashtra’s Nashik district. The corporation has two operating units in Belgium and Hungary in Europe.
According to Jai Krishnan who is the CEO of Samsonite South Asia Pvt. Ltd in India, the company expects the Indian unit to meet the company’s global luggage requirements as it works on its ‘China Plus One’ strategy to deal with supply chain disruptions. “The unit at Nashik will be Samsonite’s biggest manufacturing base in this year itself. In the last two years, we had invested Rs 150 crores to double production capacity to cater to local demand. Now, we are planning to invest another Rs 100 crores to further expand capacity at the same location,” said Krishnan.
