Make in India Creates Major Employment Opportunities for Women in Electronics Sector
New Delhi, March 16 (TheTrendingPeople): Women have emerged as some of the biggest beneficiaries of the government’s flagship Make in India initiative, with significant job creation in the electronics manufacturing sector, Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Monday.
The minister highlighted that the rapid expansion of electronics manufacturing in India has opened new employment avenues for women, particularly in smartphone production and semiconductor manufacturing.
Speaking through a post on social media platform X, Vaishnaw said the initiative launched under Narendra Modi is playing a key role in empowering women by providing new job opportunities across manufacturing facilities in the country.
According to the minister, large electronics factories now employ thousands of women workers who are actively contributing to complex production processes.
India has been aggressively promoting domestic manufacturing over the past decade to reduce import dependence and build a global manufacturing ecosystem.
Under the Make in India programme, the government has introduced several incentives and policy reforms to encourage global companies to set up production facilities in the country.
One of the most successful outcomes of this policy push has been the rapid growth of smartphone manufacturing.
Vaishnaw stated that more than one lakh women are currently employed in iPhone manufacturing facilities in India.
Women are also working in advanced semiconductor production environments, demonstrating their growing participation in high-technology manufacturing sectors.
In many electronics manufacturing plants across India, women now make up more than half of the workforce, reflecting a shift in employment patterns in the industry.
The minister had earlier said in February that women are among the biggest beneficiaries of the Make in India initiative due to the large number of direct and indirect jobs generated by the programme.
Industry observers say the increasing participation of women in manufacturing is an important indicator of India’s evolving industrial ecosystem.
The expansion of smartphone manufacturing has created not only factory jobs but also opportunities in logistics, testing, packaging, and quality control.
The growing electronics manufacturing ecosystem has also encouraged companies to invest in workforce training and skill development programmes.
Analysis
The manufacturing ecosystem built around Apple has played a major role in this employment growth.
The Apple supply chain in India alone has generated approximately 2.5 lakh direct jobs, with nearly 70 percent of these opportunities benefiting women workers.
Apple has significantly expanded its production footprint in India in recent years as part of its strategy to diversify global manufacturing beyond China.
Reports suggest that iPhone production in India increased by around 53 percent in 2025, reaching nearly 55 million units compared with 36 million units the previous year.
Currently, about a quarter of Apple’s flagship iPhones are manufactured in India.
The expansion of electronics manufacturing has also contributed to India’s export growth. Smartphones emerged as the country’s largest export category in 2025, with shipments worth around $30.13 billion.
Industry data shows that iPhones became India’s most valuable export product during the year, with exports valued at about $23 billion, largely destined for the United States.
The continued expansion of the electronics manufacturing sector under the Make in India programme is expected to generate further employment opportunities, particularly for women, while strengthening India’s position as a major global manufacturing hub.
Our Final Thoughts
The rise of women’s participation in India’s electronics manufacturing sector marks an important shift in the country’s industrial workforce. Initiatives like Make in India and policy tools such as the production-linked incentive scheme have attracted global companies and encouraged domestic production. As multinational firms expand manufacturing operations in India, job creation has accelerated, particularly in smartphone assembly and semiconductor production. If this momentum continues, India could not only strengthen its position as a global electronics manufacturing hub but also drive greater economic participation and financial independence for millions of women across the country.