India's Mobile Manufacturing boom set to create 150K-250K jobs in 12-16 months

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India's Mobile Manufacturing boom set to create 150K-250K jobs in 12-16 months

India's Mobile Manufacturing boom set to create 150K-250K jobs in 12-16 months

Industry News
Feb 12,24

The flourishing mobile phone manufacturing sector in India is anticipated to generate 150,000 to 250,000 direct and indirect jobs within the next 12-16 months, driven by the government's emphasis on local production and the global surge in mobile users, as indicated by industry experts and staffing agencies.

Apple, along with its three contract manufacturers in India—Foxconn, Wistron, and Pegatron—alongside domestic player Dixon Technologies, is set to significantly expand its workforce to meet the growing demand both domestically and internationally. Recent years have witnessed heightened efforts by companies like Apple to shift their manufacturing operations to India and diversify supply chains beyond China.

Over the past three years, the Indian government's Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has played a pivotal role in creating approximately 500,000 jobs in the sector, reports staffing services firm Teamlease Services. Kartik Narayan, CEO of Teamlease Services, emphasised India's ambitious goal of generating $300 billion worth of electronic goods by 2025-26, facilitated by rewarding PLI schemes and advancements in communication infrastructure. The continuous global rise in mobile consumers further contributes to the growing demand for talent in the sector.

Yeshab Giri, Chief Commercial Officer of Staffing & Randstad Technologies at Randstad India, highlighted the establishment of manufacturing facilities by many global companies in India, projecting the creation of around 120,000 new jobs in the current fiscal year. Among these, 40,000-50,000 positions are expected to be direct roles, with the remaining 70,000-80,000 being indirect roles, primarily concentrated in manufacturing and with some contributions from the retail sector.

Apple is anticipated to manufacture iPhones valued at $12 billion (freight on board) in India during 2023-2024, constituting approximately 12% of the company's global iPhone manufacturing. Google's recent announcement to manufacture flagship Pixel smartphones in India is also expected to contribute to the increasing demand for talent in the country.

The majority of the new roles in the mobile phone manufacturing industry are in frontline functions, including electronics/electrical technicians, information technology specialists, assembly operators, line supervisors, mobile assemblers, engineering managers, data engineers, quality-control inspectors, supply-chain managers, and logistics coordinators.

Looking ahead to the fiscal year 2026, industry estimates suggest that the mobile manufacturing sector will create at least 280,000-300,000 new jobs, with approximately one-third being direct employment and an additional 180,000-200,000 being indirect jobs, highlighting the substantial potential for Indian manufacturing for exports.

Source: Indiatimes