Mobile Industry Pays ₹25,000 Crore in Annual Wages Under PLI
According to a recent report by the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) submitted to the Ministry of Commerce on December 27, 2025, the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has acted as a catalyst, transforming India from a mobile-importing nation into a global manufacturing and export powerhouse.
In what is being hailed as the premier “Make in India” success story, the electronics industry has crossed a historic milestone, creating over 1.33 million jobs in the last five years.
A Massive Boost to Formal Employment Under PLI
The job creation data reveals a balanced ecosystem of direct and indirect labor. Of the 1.33 million total jobs:
- Direct Jobs: Approximately 400,000 workers are employed directly within state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities.
- Indirect Jobs: Nearly 930,000 roles have been generated in ancillary sectors, including logistics, packaging, and component services.
This expansion represents one of the largest formal employment drives in India’s high-tech sector.
Notably, the industry reports that nearly 70% of these new hires are women and first-time workers, reflecting a significant social impact and a shift toward a more inclusive industrial workforce.
In FY25 alone, the mobile ecosystem disbursed an estimated ₹25,000 crore in wages to blue-collar staff, with average monthly salaries reaching ₹18,000 for direct roles.
The “Apple Ecosystem” and Global Giants
The main thrust of this growth has come from the “Apple ecosystem,” comprising contract manufacturers such as Foxconn, Pegatron, and Tata Electronics.
Since the inception of the PLI scheme, Apple has shifted over 20% of its global iPhone production to India.
Other giants like Samsung and Google are also deepening their roots.
Samsung’s Noida facility remains its largest global hub, while Foxconn recently hired 30,000 staff for its new women-led iPhone assembly unit near Bengaluru.
Exports Skyrocket: From 167th to 2nd Position
The transformation in trade is equally staggering.
In FY2015, smartphones were ranked 167th in India’s product categories; by FY2025, they have climbed to the number 2 spot.
- Export Growth: Mobile phone exports have risen nearly tenfold, surpassing ₹2 lakh crore in FY25.
- Self-Reliance: In 2015, 74% of mobile phones in India were imported. Today, 99.2% of handsets used in India are locally made.
Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, noted that the sector is now moving beyond assembly.
He highlighted a shift into high-value component manufacturing, including batteries, camera modules, and displays.
With continued policy stability, India is poised to become the world’s second-largest mobile phone exporter by 2026.
Industry leaders believe that job creation will accelerate even further as the semiconductor and component ecosystems mature.
This growth could potentially add millions more to the workforce by 2030.
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