Big Boost for Make in India: Gwalior to Host India's First Telecom Manufacturing Zone

In a landmark step towards strengthening domestic electronics production, India's first integrated Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ) will be established in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, with the Centre and the state government joining hands to build what is expected to become a major hub for telecom manufacturing, innovation and exports.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Government of Madhya Pradesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking the beginning of one of India's most ambitious telecom manufacturing initiatives. Spread across 350 acres, the plug-and-play industrial zone will offer world-class infrastructure for manufacturing, research, development and testing of next-generation telecom technologies.

The Central Government will provide ₹493 crore for Phase-I infrastructure development, while the Madhya Pradesh government has allocated nearly 170 acres of land free of cost, along with attractive incentives, including capital subsidies, tax benefits, power tariff rebates, employment support and assistance for research and development.

The project is expected to attract ₹12,000-15,000 crore in investments over time, with industry players already indicating nearly ₹5,000 crore in commitments during the initial phase. Officials estimate the zone will generate around 14,000 direct skilled jobs, besides creating thousands of indirect employment opportunities across allied sectors.

Several leading companies, including Dixon Technologies, HFCL, Tejas Networks, VVDN and Syrma SGS, have shown interest in anchoring the manufacturing ecosystem.

The Telecom Manufacturing Zone will integrate the complete telecom value chain, from mobile devices, optical fibre and routers to semiconductor technologies and future-ready 5G and 6G research. Dedicated research centres, testing laboratories and certification facilities are also planned to support indigenous product development.

Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said India must now evolve from being primarily a telecom service provider into a global telecom product manufacturer. He described the project as a major milestone towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India, Digital India, and the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

The initiative is also expected to complement national programmes such as the India Semiconductor Mission, Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) and the Telecom Technology Development Fund, strengthening India's supply chains, reducing import dependence and boosting exports.