According to the union minister for railways, information and broadcasting, electronics and information technology, India is witnessing a major transformation across rail infrastructure, electronics manufacturing, semiconductors and digital technologies, strengthening its position as a global economic and industrial power.
Speaking on India’s manufacturing progress, the minister said smartphones became the country’s largest export commodity last year, surpassing diesel exports for the first time. He added that the government is now focusing on making India fully self-reliant in electronics and information technology manufacturing.
On the semiconductor sector, he said India already has two semiconductor factories under commercial production, while a third plant is expected to begin production in July 2026 and a fourth by December 2026. According to him, work is currently underway on 12 semiconductor facilities, marking a significant step towards building a strong domestic chip manufacturing ecosystem.
The minister also highlighted the government’s push towards data centres and digital infrastructure. Referring to the government’s policy decision to exempt data centres from taxation till 2047, he said the move has helped attract nearly $200 billion in investments.
Speaking about artificial intelligence (AI), he noted that employment opportunities in the sector are growing at 15-20 per cent annually. He also stated that Google has agreed to manufacture AI servers in India, further strengthening the country’s technology ecosystem.
Addressing global economic uncertainties, the minister said India has managed challenges arising from geopolitical tensions and energy price volatility through careful policymaking. He urged industries and citizens to contribute towards strengthening economic resilience by increasing exports and reducing avoidable imports to conserve foreign exchange reserves.
Expressing confidence in India’s economic trajectory, he said the country is expected to sustain annual growth of 6-8 per cent while maintaining inflation under control.
