Andalib Akhter / New Delhi
Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Wednesday chaired a high-level review meeting to review the performance and future roadmap of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, a flagship initiative aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing and exports.
Goyal reiterated the scheme’s pivotal role in realizing the vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) and urged ministries to sharpen their focus on sectors where India holds a competitive edge globally.
During the meeting, attended by officials from all concerned ministries, the minister emphasized the need to transition from quantity to quality-driven skill development. He called for a strategic five-year roadmap to attract greater investment and streamline incentive disbursements. Goyal also stressed the importance of resolving infrastructure bottlenecks in partnership with the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC).
₹1.76 Lakh Crore Investment and 12 Lakh Jobs
So far, the PLI Scheme has been implemented across 14 strategic sectors, attracting investments worth ₹1.76 lakh crore and generating production and sales of over ₹16.5 lakh crore. The initiative has created more than 12 lakh direct and indirect jobs across sectors as of March 2025. Incentives worth ₹21,534 crore have been disbursed across 12 sectors, including large-scale electronics, pharma, telecom, medical devices, white goods, automobiles, and textiles.
Pharma Sector: High Export Share, Strong R&D Focus
In the pharmaceutical sector, the scheme has had a remarkable impact. Over three years, the sector recorded sales of ₹2.66 lakh crore, with exports worth ₹1.70 lakh crore, accounting for 27% of India’s total pharma exports in FY 2024-25. Notably, ₹15,102 crore, or 40% of total investment, was directed toward R&D, pushing domestic value addition to a commendable 83.7%.
Bulk Drugs: From Import Dependence to Net Exporter
In a significant turnaround, India has become a net exporter of bulk drugs, with exports of ₹2,280 crore in FY 2024-25. This is a reversal from being a net importer to the tune of ₹1,930 crore in FY 2021-22. The scheme has helped narrow the demand-supply gap and strengthen India’s pharmaceutical supply chain.
Food Processing: Rural Boost and Millet Revolution
The food processing sector also recorded strong progress with investments of ₹9,032 crore and total production and sales worth ₹3,80,350 crore. The sector generated employment for over 3.4 lakh people, supported largely by MSMEs. A highlight has been the PLI Millet Scheme, which led to a 25-fold increase in sales of millet-based products in FY 2024-25 over the base year FY 2020-21. Millet procurement by beneficiaries surged from 4,081 metric tonnes (2022-23) to 16,130 metric tonnes (2024-25), directly enhancing rural incomes and farmer earnings.
Textiles: Growth in Exports of MMF and Technical Textiles
The textile sector too showed strong export performance. Exports of man-made fibre (MMF) textiles touched US$ 6 billion in FY 2024-25, up from US$ 5.7 billion the previous year. Exports of technical textiles grew to US$ 3,356.5 million, compared to US$ 2,986.6 million in FY 2023-24.
Way Forward
Goyal concluded the meeting by stressing the need for a forward-looking policy approach and close inter-ministerial coordination to maximize the PLI scheme’s impact. He highlighted that value addition, global competitiveness, and sustainability should remain central to India’s manufacturing growth story.
The meeting underscored the PLI scheme as a catalyst not just for industrial growth, but also for employment generation, rural empowerment, and India’s emergence as a global manufacturing hub.