India Selects 4 Global Firms to Boost IT Products Manufacturing

India on Thursday named Dell, Wistron’s ICT, Flex,and Foxconn’s Rising Stars as its choice of global companies in a $1 billion (roughly Rs. 7,470 crore) incentive plan to produce and boost exports of laptops, tablets and personal computers.

Ten Indian companies were also selected, including smartphone maker Lava and Dixon, which makes TVs for Xiaomi in India, the government said in a statement.

Under the plan, manufacturers get cash-backs of 1 percent to 4 percent of additional sales of locally made goods over four years, with 2019-2020 as the base year.

In the next four years these companies are expected to produce Rs. 1,61,000 crores of IT hardware and create more than 36,000 jobs, the government said.

The plan is also likely to help US tech giant Apple assemble some of its iPad tablets in India, Reuters previously reported.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policy push in the electronics sector has prompted Apple suppliers Foxconn and Wistron to expand in India, and driven Pegatron to set up base there.

Modi’s strategy, coupled with India’s huge market, have also helped turned the country into the world’s second-biggest mobile maker after China.

New Delhi wants to replicate the success of smartphone manufacturing with other electronics in a bid to cut imports.

© Thomson Reuters 2021