New Delhi: To boost exports, India should concentrate on sectors where it has a competitive edge over other nations and address challenges faced by various stakeholders, according to Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal during a review meeting on the Production Linked Incentive Scheme.
Goyal emphasized the importance of becoming self-sufficient in the key industries included in the PLI plan.
Goyal emphasised the importance of developing a roadmap for the next five years, both for investment and disbursement, while stressing that the Ministries should concentrate on generating quality skilled manpower rather than quantity and working to overcome infrastructure bottlenecks in collaboration with the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC).
All relevant ministries attended the meeting.
The PLI plan is being implemented in 14 important sectors.
The plan has seen investments of Rs 1. 76 lakh crore, resulting in production/sales of more than Rs 16. 5 lakh crore and employment of more than 12 lakh (direct and indirect) till March 2025.
A total incentive amount of Rs 21,534 crore has been distributed under PLI Schemes for 12 sectors: Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing (LSEM), IT Hardware, Bulk Drugs, Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals, Telecom and Networking Products, Food Processing, White Goods, Automobiles and Auto Components, Specialty Steel, Textiles, Drones, and Drone Components.
The effect of PLI schemes has been substantial in various areas throughout India. According to the commerce ministry, these programs have encouraged domestic manufacturing, resulting in greater output, employment creation, and export growth.
Pharmaceutical Drugs: In the first three years of the initiative, total revenues reached Rs 2. 66 lakh crore, including exports of Rs 1. 70 lakh crore.
Export sales of qualifying products under the plan for 202425 stood at Rs 0. 67 lakh crore, or around 27% of the country's total pharma exports for the same period.
The approved firms have committed 40% of the total investment (Rs 37,306 crore), including Rs 15,102 crore in Research and Development (R&D) for eligible items under the plan.
As of March 2025, the overall domestic value addition in the sector is 83. 70 percent.
Bulk Drugs: The PLI Program for Bulk Drugs intends to increase domestic production of important Key Starting Materials (KSMs), Drug Intermediates (DIs), and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in India.
The program has helped India become a net exporter of bulk drugs (Rs 2,280 crore) rather than a net importer (Rs 1,930 crore), as was the case in 2021-22.
It has also considerably closed the gap between domestic manufacturing capability and critical drug demand.
Food Products: The PLI plan for food products has recorded investments of Rs 9,032 crore, leading to production/sales of Rs 380,350 crore and employment of 340,116 people (direct and indirect).
The plan has significantly boosted local raw material acquisition by requiring the use of domestically grown agricultural products (excluding additives, flavors, and edible oils) in manufacturing, benefiting undeveloped and rural areas while raising farmers' incomes.
Under the PLI approach, a considerable percentage of beneficiaries are MSMEs, with 70 MSMEs directly registered and 40 others serving as contract manufacturers for bigger firms.
This has enhanced SMEs by encouraging innovation, boosting competitiveness, increasing market access, creating employment opportunities, and supporting the broader value chain in the food processing sector.
ValueAdded Marine product sales climbed at a CAGR of 22% during the PLI term.
With the introduction of the PLI Millet Scheme, sales of millet-based products increased 25-fold in 2024-25 compared to the base year (2020-21).
The PLI beneficiaries' millet procurement has risen from 4,081 metric tonnes (MT) in 2022-23 to 16,130 MT in 2024-25, resulting in an increase in rural household income.
Textiles: Indian Manmade Fibre (MMF) Textile exports have totaled USD 6 billion in 202425, up from USD 5. 7 billion in 202324.
Overall Technical Textiles exports from India totaled USD 3,356. 5 million in 202425, up from USD 2,986. 6 million in 202324.
