India’s manufacturing sector has recorded significant expansion across electronics, defence, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, steel and other industries, strengthening the country’s ambitions to emerge as a major global manufacturing hub.
The Make in India initiative, launched in 2014, was aimed at promoting manufacturing, design and innovation across the country. The initiative now covers 27 sectors, including 15 manufacturing sectors and 12 service sectors.
Electronics manufacturing has emerged as one of the major areas of growth. Electronics production increased from Rs 1.9 lakh crore in 2014-15 to Rs 13.11 lakh crore in 2025-26. Mobile phone production also recorded a sharp rise, increasing from around Rs 18,000 crore to Rs 6.27 lakh crore during the same period. India is now the world’s second-largest mobile phone manufacturer by volume.
Defence manufacturing has also expanded as domestic production gains greater importance. Indigenous defence production rose from Rs 46,429 crore in 2014-15 to a record Rs 1.78 lakh crore in 2025-26, reflecting the growing role of domestic manufacturing in the defence sector.
The automobile industry has witnessed continued growth as well. Vehicle production reached 31.03 million units in 2024-25, representing a 33 per cent increase compared with 2014-15.
India’s pharmaceutical industry has also strengthened its position globally. The sector ranks third worldwide by volume and 11th by value, with annual turnover reaching Rs 4,71,898 crore in 2024-25. Domestic medical device manufacturing has also expanded, rising from Rs 28,000 crore in 2019-20 to Rs 41,500 crore in 2024-25.
Steel production has recorded substantial growth, with crude steel output increasing from 81.7 million tonnes in 2014-15 to 170 million tonnes in 2025-26. The railway sector has similarly expanded its manufacturing capacity, producing thousands of coaches and locomotives over the past decade.
Manufacturing activity has also shown recent momentum. Manufacturing output under the Index of Industrial Production increased by 7 per cent during April-July 2026 compared with the corresponding period of the previous year.
The growth across multiple sectors highlights the expanding scale of India’s domestic manufacturing ecosystem. With increasing production capacity, investment and emphasis on domestic manufacturing, India continues to strengthen its position in global supply chains and industrial production.
