India emerging as big manufacturing centre: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday said that the global manufacturer ecosystem is realising that they must have other places apart from China as India is emerging as a big manufacturing centre.

While interacting with the non-resident Biharis via video conference here, Prasad said, "India is emerging as a big manufacturing centre and the global manufacturer ecosystem is realising that they must have other places apart from China. I am glad to inform that Apple is shifting to India in a significant way, Samsung has already come and they further want to expand. I have been told that around eight factories of Apple have shifted to India from China."

"When we came to power in 2014, there were only two mobile factories in India, now its number has crossed 250. We launched Atmrbhar Bharat with production linked incentive. We invited global compes to come to India and also Indian compes to match," he added.

The Union Minister Prasad said when we talk about Aatmnirbhar Bharat, we don't want an isolated India but it means - India being a major economy of the world becoming good economic power to support the global economy.

"I announced this scheme in April, during the height of COVID and gave July 31 as the last date for filing applications. They have committed to make mobile phones and components worth Rs 12 lakh crores in 5 years of which Rs 7 lakh crores worth products will be exported. It will provide jobs to three lakh in India directly and nine lakh Indians indirectly," Prasad said.

He said that the bold step by Prime Minister Narendra Modi against China has been recognised by the US, UK, Japan and Australia.

"When something happened with China in Ladakh, our PM stood firmly and made it very clear that India shall not compromise on its sovereignty. This bold stand of India is being globally recognised from US, UK and Japan to Australia," Prasad said.

( With inputs from ANI )