India is stepping up its ambition to become a major global mobile manufacturing hub, with a new government scheme designed to strengthen domestic brands while encouraging international technology companies to expand production in the country.

Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS) would focus not only on increasing production but also on developing Indian brands, intellectual property and product design.

According to ETBrandEquity, the five-year scheme has been allocated ₹62,500 crore and is expected to help double cumulative mobile phone production from around ₹20 lakh crore to approximately ₹40 lakh crore. India has also achieved domestic value addition of around 25–28%, with the government expecting further improvement during the programme.

Vaishnaw said three potential Indian smartphone players could emerge within the next 10–14 months, as the government seeks to develop home-grown brands capable of competing across different market segments and eventually expanding internationally.

The initiative could also coincide with a broader manufacturing commitment from Apple. Vaishnaw indicated that the technology giant could expand production in India beyond iPhones, potentially encompassing products such as iPads and Macs.

The development reflects India’s wider strategy of moving beyond electronics assembly towards higher-value manufacturing, domestic design and intellectual property creation.

With global technology supply chains continuing to diversify, India’s expanding electronics ecosystem could strengthen its position as an international production and export centre while creating opportunities for Indian brands to establish a stronger global presence.