India · Technology
How India measures its telecom manufacturing incentive programme
India’s telecom and networking PLI recorded ₹78,672 crore in participant sales by January 2025. The programme’s rules tie incentives to eligible incremental sales and investment, while its public updates publish wider measures such as exports and employment.
Sources checked
Exports form part of total sales. Investment is a separate participant spending measure.
A public budget and participant spending describe different accounts
The department notified the telecom and networking products scheme in February 2021 with a ₹12,195 crore public outlay. Participants reported ₹4,081 crore of investment by January 2025. That investment belongs to participating businesses and cannot be subtracted from the public allocation to estimate funds remaining. Source 1 Source 2
The rules measure qualifying growth
The guidelines describe eligible incremental investment and sales of manufactured goods in the target segments. Sales are measured against the applicable baseline and claims are subject to eligibility rules. The parliamentary reply’s ₹78,672 crore sales total provides a measure of commercial activity by participants, separate from the amount paid in incentives. Source 1 Source 2
Exports are part of the sales total
The January 2025 snapshot included ₹14,963 crore of exports within the ₹78,672 crore total, around 19%. A February 2026 update gave an export figure of ₹21,033 crore but did not specify the cut-off for that figure. The later amount shows what the government reported at publication and leaves the precise interval of growth open. Source 1 Source 3
Design-led production received a separate adjustment
The March 2025 reply identifies a one percentage point additional incentive for products designed, developed and manufactured in India. It also records 11 additions to the approved list and 33 covered products overall. The list defines the scheme’s product scope, while the domestic design condition applies to the additional incentive. Source 1 Source 2