Growth of the Electronic Industry and Manufacturing Sector in India

Electronic technology and the Electronic Industry have immense potential to improve living standards by promoting industrial modernization, employment generation, and sustained economic growth in India. Owing to their flexibility and wide applicability, electronic technologies are well suited to addressing India's socio-economic challenges. Recognized as a "sunrise sector" since the Sixth and Seventh Five-Year Plans, the Electronic Industry has received policy support through de-licensing, modernization, and export promotion, enabling it to assume a strategic role in industrial development.This study examines the growth of the Electronic Industry and Electronic Products Industry in India during 1975-76 to 2007-08, with emphasis on the impact of economic liberalization initiated in 1991. Using a census-based approach and secondary data, it analyzes trends in production, employment, capital formation, and productivity. The findings reveal steady long-term growth but weakened post-liberalization trends due to import dependence and increased competition, underscoring the need for technological upgradation and stronger domestic manufacturing capabilities.