Make in India at Ten: Achievements, Challenges, and What Comes Next

Make in India launched a decade ago to boost manufacturing, attract investment and create jobs. This article reviews measurable outcomes, policy shifts, sector highlights, and the road ahead for supply chains, skills and infrastructure.

Make in India: Ten-Year Impact and Metrics

Progress can be seen across multiple indicators: FDI approvals, gross fixed capital formation in manufacturing, and sector-specific production increases. Official statistics from the Ministry of Commerce & Industry and economic assessments by organisations such as the World Bank and Reserve Bank of India provide empirical context for these trends.

Investment and output

FDI inflows to India rose significantly since the initiative began, with major greenfield and brownfield projects in electronics, automobiles, and chemicals. Manufacturing's contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) increased in absolute terms but has not reached the program's early targets of becoming the primary engine of growth. Capital expenditure surveys indicate higher machinery imports and new plant commissioning in several states.

Jobs and skills

Employment linked directly to registered manufacturing firms expanded, while much of job creation occurred in services and construction. Skill development efforts — including partnerships between training agencies and industry — aimed to close gaps in vocational skills, digital manufacturing, and quality compliance, but large-scale upskilling remains an ongoing need.

Policy Reforms, Incentives, and Institutional Changes

Regulatory changes and ease of doing business

Regulatory simplification measures at central and state levels, digitisation of permits, and tax reforms such as Goods and Services Tax (GST) were intended to improve the operating environment for manufacturers. Rankings like the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business provide comparative snapshots, though these metrics are only one element of the investment climate.

Targeted industrial policies

Sectoral schemes and production-linked incentives (PLIs) focused on electronics manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and more recently semiconductors, aimed to attract upstream investment and reduce import dependence. Infrastructure investments in industrial corridors, ports and power supply were prioritised to lower logistics and operational costs.

Sector Highlights and Strategic Supply Chains

Electronics and semiconductors

Consumer electronics and mobile phone assembly saw rapid expansion, driven by global firms and domestic manufacturers. The semiconductor ecosystem remains nascent; attracting wafer fabrication and advanced packaging requires sustained policy support and large-scale capital commitments.

Pharmaceuticals and auto components

Pharmaceutical manufacturing demonstrated export competitiveness in generics and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The automotive sector expanded both assembly and component production, though global demand cycles and technology shifts (such as electrification) create transitional challenges.

Challenges That Persist

MSMEs and access to finance

Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) form a large part of manufacturing value chains but face constraints in formal credit access, technology adoption, and compliance costs. Strengthening financial intermediation and scaling technology diffusion remain central to inclusive industrial growth.

Supply chain resilience and raw material dependence

Global shocks revealed dependence on single-source imports for critical inputs. Diversifying suppliers, improving domestic production of intermediate goods, and logistics efficiency are important to reduce vulnerabilities.

The Road Ahead: Priorities for the Next Decade

Infrastructure and logistics

Investment in ports, rail freight corridors, inland logistics hubs and reliable power and water supply will influence site selection and competitiveness for manufacturers. Public-private partnerships and multilateral financing can help bridge infrastructure gaps.

Skills, technology and sustainability

Scaling vocational training, adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies (automation, additive manufacturing) and environmental compliance will determine long-term competitiveness. Policy alignment between industry and training institutions can accelerate workforce readiness.

Institutional coordination and data transparency

Coordinated state-centre policies, transparent project monitoring and improved access to macro- and micro-data can support investment decisions and performance evaluation. Independent research by academic institutions and international agencies can strengthen evidence-based policymaking.

For authoritative program details and official announcements, consult the Government of India's Make in India portal: https://www.makeinindia.com.

Measuring Success: Indicators to Watch

Key performance indicators

• Manufacturing share of GDP and gross value added
• Net job creation in registered manufacturing firms
• FDI inflows into manufacturing and greenfield project values
• Exports of manufactured goods and value-added intensity
• Productivity gains per worker and capital deepening

Data sources

Relevant data comes from India’s Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI), Reserve Bank of India reports, and international datasets from the World Bank and OECD that track investment and trade flows.

Conclusion

After ten years, Make in India has shifted India’s industrial landscape with notable investments, capacity additions and policy experiments. Delivering higher manufacturing shares and broad-based job creation will depend on concerted action in infrastructure, skills, finance and supply chain diversification. Continued monitoring using transparent indicators can help policymakers and industry align on the next phase of industrialisation.