“United we stand, divided we fall sit.”
The US$ 400 billion India electronics market opportunity by 2020, no longer remains the question point but the action point. Personally, I see two very encouraging developments converging which will help ensure that India scales up its electronics product development and manufacturing capabilities to levels that will translate into a sizeable domestic industry. The first is undoubtedly government policy support. No stakeholder can express any dissatisfaction on this count. Directly involved government institutions and departments like Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India, Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and Ministry of Human Resource Development are all working cohesively towards the common goal of realizing the dream of making India a significant electronics manufacturing destination.

The second good development that is helping the India domestic electronics design and manufacturing boat sail in the right direction is the approach and support that the industry trade associations are tirelessly putting in, towards achievement of this great feat.

The electronics industry ecosystem in India has several trade and industry associations representing specific sub-segments. In recent months, I have observed distinct signs that these associations are working closely together. Importantly, they are not competing to exhibit which association stands out the tallest. This cooperation and co-creation is bound to result in larger benefits to the nation, and is certain to fetch rich dividends. Be it ELCINA, ISA, MAIT or CEAMA, every association is contributing with dedication to realize one common goal – to place India as a respected electronics hub in the world.

While these associations are working in tandem, there is a need, to have them all under one common umbrella. This would include not only electronics industry associations, but even bodies like NASSCOM, because software is integral to electronics. So, to achieve inclusive growth for the India ESDM sector, all electronics, computer hardware and software & services associations need to work together as one voice. Further, to un-complicate things for hitherto loosely knit, extended stakeholders it makes sense to put all efforts under one umbrella body. This will help to send a strong message and convey to the market that all these associations are working for the same cause. It will also remove the impression amongst media and the general public that the different India electronics industry associations are overlapping, if not directly competing with each other.

At a time when a number of initiatives are taking place across the country to enable India achieve a high degree of self-sufficiency in domestic electronics manufacturing, these bodies can come together to form an umbrella body of associations. Other stakeholders like government departments, educational institutions, financial institutions etc. can also be represented at this single, common industry platform.

In one of his recent industry conversations, our CMD, Mr Pradeep Gupta or “PG” as he is popularly known amongst industry friends, advocated a similar initiative, suggesting all the industry associations related to IT and Electronics must come together as one voice.

As a logical follow-up to the above submissions, I humbly propose the name of the umbrella association as the Confederation of Electronics Industry Stakeholders’ Associations of India. Let CEISAI take birth!