Make in India Marks 11 Years of Economic Transformation

On September 25, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Nation marked the 11th anniversary of the Make in India initiative, reflecting on its contributions to India’s economic resilience and self-reliance. Launched on the same day in 2014, Make in India aimed to position India as a global manufacturing hub, boost entrepreneurship, and reduce dependency on imports.

Why Make in India Was Launched

When launched in 2014, Make in India had three key objectives,

• Increase the share of manufacturing in GDP from around 16% to 25%
• Create 100 million jobs in the manufacturing sector by 2022
• Attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and improve ease of doing business
• The initiative targeted 25 priority sectors, including automobiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, defence manufacturing, and textiles.

Achievements Over the Past 11 Years

Manufacturing and Exports Growth

• Despite global disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic, India’s manufacturing sector has shown resilience:
• India’s merchandise exports crossed $450 billion in FY2024, with engineering goods, electronics, and chemicals leading the growth.
• The PLI (Production-Linked Incentive) schemes, introduced under Make in India’s broader umbrella, have attracted investments across electronics, semiconductors, and pharma.

Job Creation and Start-up Ecosystem

Make in India laid the foundation for Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Startup India, contributing to,

• A rapid increase in MSMEs and startups, especially in technology and manufacturing.
• Growth of over 1.3 crore jobs in the organized manufacturing sector between 2014 and 2024 (Labour Ministry estimates).
• Expansion of digital and industrial infrastructure, particularly in Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

FDI and Global Trust

• India received record FDI inflows, reaching $85 billion in FY2022, reflecting investor confidence.
• Several global companies—like Apple, Samsung, Boeing, and Tesla—either expanded or began manufacturing operations in India.

Challenges and Areas of Improvement

While Make in India has seen success, some challenges remain,

• Manufacturing’s contribution to GDP still hovers around 17%, below the original 25% target.
• Land acquisition, logistics bottlenecks, and labor law complexities continue to affect large-scale industrial investment.
• FDI inflows have slowed in recent years due to global uncertainties.
• However, ongoing reforms in infrastructure, taxation (like GST), and trade policies are expected to address many of these hurdles.

Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat: A Synergistic Push

Since 2020, Make in India has closely aligned with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, promoting local manufacturing and reducing import dependency across sectors,

• Defence procurement has seen a dramatic shift towards indigenization.
• Mobile phone production in India increased more than 10 times since 2014.
• India became the second-largest producer of PPE kits and vaccines during the pandemic.
• These milestones underscore how Make in India evolved from a slogan into a core component of national policy.

Key Takeaways

• Launched: 25 September 2014 by PM Narendra Modi
• Objective: Boost manufacturing, create jobs, attract FDI
• India ranks among top investment destinations globally
• Key tools: PLI schemes, industrial corridors, Ease of Doing Business
• Current Rank: India’s manufacturing share is ~17% of GDP