Minister of State for Communications and Electronics and IT Sanjay Dhotre, revealed these figures during a Rajya Sabha proceeding. A lot, was imported from China!
Out of Rs 1.15 trillion worth of electronics components that India imported in 2019-20, 37 per cent were imported from China. Sanjay Dhotre, minister of State for Communications and Electronics and IT, revealed these numbers in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.
He was sharing the data while explaining the impact of shutting down of electronics of factories in China. Dhotre pointed towards the novel Corona-virus and lock-downs and explained that only a handful of companies were manufacturing components in India during the lock-down period.
“The shutdown of factories for about two months has impacted the domestic electronics manufacturing sector. According to the India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA), there will be production loss of 20-25 per cent in 2020-21, compared to 2019-20,” Dhotre said.
Exports of smartphone components in 2019-20
The minister, citing data obtained from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCI&S), noted that India exported smartphone components worth Rs 56,039 crore during 2019-20. Out of the total amount, smartphone components worth Rs 25,441 crore were exported from China.
Dhotre mentioned that steps are being taken to ensure that the country is not dependent on a single source to obtain raw materials and components. The ministry of commerce and industry recently noted that with a view to support and facilitate investments into India, the Government is working hard to institutionalize more investor friendly reforms. It has constituted an Empowered Group of Secretaries to provide support and facilitation to investors for investing in India and to boost growth in key sectors of the economy.
Ironically the group is being reffered to as EGoS, and EGoS, as per the government, shall identify potential investors/organizations, make recommendations to the Ministry/Department to promote investment, facilitate hand holding of investors, examine and suggest ways to attract more investment in greenfield projects.
The total electronic component imports in India during 2019-20 was Rs 1,15,558 crore, out of which, imports from China was Rs 42,983 crore.
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