MAIT releases report on enhancing export competitiveness of India’s electronic hardware manufacturing ecosystem

By OEM Update Editorial November 14, 2019 5:38 pm IST

Manufacturers’ Association of Information Technology (MAIT) released the report titled “Enhancing Export Competitiveness of India’s Electronic Hardware Manufacturing Ecosystem”. The report commissioned by MAIT, focuses on analysing the current ecosystem to outlining a combination of policy reforms, consisting of reimbursements of state and central tax levies, relaxation on corporate income tax and production-based incentives to boost the electronics manufacturing in the country. In the presence of the Electronics and IT manufacturing industry, Niti Aayog and Invest India the study was launched by Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary, MeitY. Present on the occasion were industry captains Richard Hopkins, Global President, Manufacturing Operations – Flex Group, Muralikrishnan B, COO Xiaomi India and Prashanth Mani, MD – Motorola.

As part of its mandate of enhancing ‘export-led electronics manufacturing’, MAIT has worked out a roadmap for the electronics sector with specific emphasis on Mobiles, Datacom and PCs. In the backdrop of the recent announcement by the Finance Minister about introduction of Remission of Duties or Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP), the report emphasises that in order to compensate for the discontinuation of the Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS) framework, India needs a policy framework that gives a net compensation of minimum 8 per cent needs to be given to the electronics manufacturing sector to overcome India’s disability.

With India now looking at massive scaling in local manufacturing, MAIT strongly recommends setting up of component hub to decrease India’s disability.

In addition, the study encapsulates the technical reasoning for the harmonisation of incentives for both mobiles and chargers to provide impetus for export-led mobile manufacturing in the country.

Speaking at the event, Nitin Kunkolienker, President, MAIT said, “We are committed to bringing a positive change in the sector by moving from a domestic-consumption led manufacturing to an export-led approach. This report is also a step in this direction and the intention is to voice the industry’s requirements and recommendations while identifying key opportunities that can be leveraged to enhance the electronics and IT manufacturing ecosystem in the country.”

Nitin Kunkolienker also said that India is looking at a foreign exchange bill of  5.37 lakh crores on Mobiles, PC and Datacom product consumption by the domestic market in the year 2025 if India does not develop an export led manufacturing ecosystem soon.

However, if India aims and achieves 20 per cent share in the global production by 2025, then India can generate a net positive foreign exchange of  1.19 lakh crores and contribute  4.71 lakh crores to India’s GDP. Further PCs as a category has the potential of generating a net foreign exchange positive of 72000 crore.

Kunkolienker further emphasised that the incentive framework strategy needs to include the component ecosystem so that along with volume, India also builds on value.