Economic Survey 2019-20: Integrate 'assembly' and manufacturing

New Delhi: In a first, an official document has differentiated between manufacturing and assembling in India. The Economic Survey 2019-20 has suggested integrating 'Assemble in India for the World' into Make in India as it would help raise India its export market share to about 3.5% by 2025 and 6% by 2030.

Articulating a clear-headed strategy to grab this opportunity, the survey seeks focus on a group of industries such as computers, electronic and electrical equipment, telecom equipment and road vehicles referred to as 'network products.' It noted, 'Laser-like focus must be placed on enabling assembling operations at mammoth scale in network products,' adding that India would create about 40 million wellpaid jobs by 2025 and about 80 million by 2030 in the process.

“Acknowledging assemble in India as a target in itself shall further postpone bringing value by creating an ecosystem where most parts get manufactured locally,” said Bipin Sapra, partner at advisory firm EY. “India gained 0.7% in trade surplus per year for manufactured products and 2.3% for total merchandise,” the survey showed. “India is spreading exports thinly over many products and partners, leading to its lacklustre performance compared to China,” the survey said.