New Delhi: Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Friday that Apple could expand its manufacturing footprint in India beyond iPhone production, while the government is working with three potential Indian smartphone players that could emerge over the next 10-14 months.
Responding to a question on whether Apple could manufacture products beyond iPhones in India, Vaishnaw said “yes”, signalling the possibility of a broader expansion of the technology major’s manufacturing and product ecosystem in the country.
The minister also said the government expects Indian smartphone brands to emerge and compete across different market segments. As part of efforts to build a stronger domestic smartphone ecosystem, the government has asked three Indian players to develop best-in-segment design options.
These companies have also been asked to identify the segments they are most comfortable competing in, including economy, premium and super-premium categories. Vaishnaw said the Indian players have indicated that they want to focus on the high-volume segment.
However, the government will closely assess their intellectual property and the quality of their designs before extending support to the companies.
“At this point, I see three potential Indian smartphone players coming up in 10-14 months,” Vaishnaw said.
His comments come soon after the government notified the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS), aimed at strengthening domestic mobile phone manufacturing and supporting the emergence of Indian smartphone brands.
The scheme has been divided into two target segments. Target Segment 1 focuses on incentivising mobile phone manufacturing, while Target Segment 2 is aimed at supporting Indian mobile phone brands.
Applicants under the second segment will receive a one-year gestation period, allowing them to establish operations and meet eligibility requirements before claiming financial incentives.
Under the MPMS, mobile phone manufacturers registered in India with a minimum turnover of Rs 10,000 crore in FY26 will be eligible to participate. Existing brands seeking financial incentives will have to achieve additional sales of Rs 5,000 crore over their total FY26 sales in each financial year for which incentives are claimed.
For electronics manufacturing services (EMS) companies, the scheme sets a minimum FY26 turnover threshold of Rs 1,000 crore for eligibility.
The government’s latest push comes as India seeks to move beyond its role as a major manufacturing base and develop a stronger domestic electronics ecosystem, including locally designed and branded smartphones.
(IANS)
