India electronics supply chain: How it works and who drives it
When you think of the India electronics supply chain, the network of factories, logistics hubs, component suppliers, and exporters that make and ship electronic goods across India and overseas. Also known as India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem, it’s not just about assembling phones—it’s about building everything from circuit boards to smart home devices right here on Indian soil. This system isn’t run by big foreign brands alone. It’s powered by thousands of small and mid-sized factories in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh that make parts, test products, and ship them out—often under their own names.
The Tamil Nadu electronics, the single biggest hub for electronics production and export in India, responsible for over $12 billion in shipments in 2024 is the engine. Chennai, Hosur, and Sriperumbudur are packed with factories making power supplies, cables, LED lights, and even components for global brands. These aren’t just assembly lines—they’re innovation centers where local engineers tweak designs, source cheaper materials, and cut shipping times. Nearby ports like Chennai and Tuticorin move these goods to the US, Europe, and Africa without needing to go through Singapore or China first.
Then there’s the Indian electronics exporters, the companies that actually ship electronics out of India, from startups to giants like Samsung and Dixon Technologies. They don’t just sell finished products. They buy raw materials from Gujarat, get PCBs made in Hyderabad, assemble in Tamil Nadu, and ship from Nhava Sheva. Every step is connected. And when the government pushes Make in India or Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, it’s not just talk—it changes who gets loans, who gets tax breaks, and who can compete with China.
But it’s not all smooth. The electronics supply chain challenges, the real-world problems like delayed components, skilled labor shortages, and inconsistent power supply that slow down production are real. One factory in Bengaluru told us they waited six weeks for a single chip. Another in Pune lost a contract because their power backup couldn’t handle a 48-hour outage. These aren’t abstract issues—they’re daily hurdles that shape who survives and who doesn’t.
What you’ll find below isn’t a list of generic articles. It’s a collection of real stories from inside this system: how a startup in Coimbatore got its first funding to make smart sensors, why Reliance dominates electronics exports, how Tamil Nadu beat Karnataka in export volume, and what five key factors actually determine if a factory can scale. You’ll see the numbers behind profit margins, the steps to pitch your idea to a manufacturer, and which states are quietly becoming the next big hubs. No fluff. Just what’s happening on the ground—and how you can be part of it.