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Make in India & Manufacturing Reforms GK Questions & Answers

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The Government of India launched the Make in India initiative on September 25, 2014, under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade within the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Designed to transform the country into a global design and manufacturing hub, the initiative responded to stagnant industrial contributions where manufacturing hovered near 15 to 16 percent of Gross Domestic Product. To reverse chronic reliance on imported manufactured goods and generate productive employment for an expanding demographic dividend, the national campaign established ambitious long-term goals: increasing the manufacturing sector's share of Gross Domestic Product to 25 percent and creating 100 million additional manufacturing jobs.

The structural framework of Make in India rests upon four primary pillars: New Processes, New Infrastructure, New Sectors, and a New Mindset. Through New Processes, the government introduced systemic deregulation, online licensing portals, and simplified tax environments to improve the ease of doing business. New Infrastructure prioritized industrial corridor development through the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme, smart industrial cities, and multimodal connectivity under PM Gati Shakti. The New Sectors pillar expanded industrial coverage across 27 distinct sectors, spanning automobiles, aviation, chemicals, electronics, defense manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals. Simultaneously, the New Mindset shifted the government’s operational role from a traditional regulatory overseer to a proactive industrial partner. In 2020, this approach expanded with the rollout of 14 Production Linked Incentive schemes across key manufacturing segments, providing performance-linked financial outlays exceeding 1.97 lakh crore rupees to encourage domestic scale.

Complementing the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat vision and the Vocal for Local initiative, Make in India has altered domestic production patterns. In electronics, domestic mobile phone production expanded from just two manufacturing units in 2014 to hundreds of operational plants, positioning India as the second-largest mobile handset producer globally. In defense, foreign direct investment limits were raised to 74 percent under the automatic route, complemented by two dedicated Defense Industrial Corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and phased positive indigenisation lists. For competitive examinations like UPSC Civil Services, SSC CGL, and State PSCs, this initiative provides essential material on industrial policy, capital formation, export competitiveness, and supply chain resilience.

Key Concepts & Self-Assessment20 Key Facts

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#1
Make in India was officially launched on September 25, 2014, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
#2
The nodal agency coordinating Make in India is the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
#3
The initiative established the twin targets of raising manufacturing share in India's GDP to 25% and generating 100 million additional industrial jobs.
#4
The initiative is structured upon four foundational pillars: New Processes, New Infrastructure, New Sectors, and New Mindset.
#5
In 2020, the government introduced 14 Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes with an aggregate financial outlay of 1.97 lakh crore rupees.
#6
The 14 PLI sectors include mobile phones, active pharmaceutical ingredients, medical devices, automobiles, specialty steel, and solar PV modules.
#7
Mobile phone manufacturing experienced rapid expansion, converting India from a net importer to the world's second-largest mobile phone manufacturer.
#8
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) equity limits in defense production were liberalised to 74% under the automatic route and up to 100% via government approval.
#9
Two dedicated Defense Industrial Corridors were sanctioned and developed in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to localize military hardware production.
#10
The Ministry of Defence notified multiple Positive Indigenisation Lists, barring the import of hundreds of military platforms and weapons systems.
#11
The National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDC) oversees the implementation of 11 multi-modal industrial corridors across India.
#12
The Make in India logo features a striding lion composed of industrial cogs, symbolizing industrial power, mechanical innovation, and national strength.
#13
India climbed from 142nd position in 2014 to 63rd position in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index 2020 prior to the report's discontinuation.
#14
The initiative identified 27 champion sectors, bifurcated into 15 manufacturing sub-sectors and 12 service-oriented economic domains.
#15
Industrial licensing procedures were digitized through the eBiz portal and integrated into the broader digital business architecture.
#16
The scheme connects closely with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan launched in October 2021 to streamline multimodal logistics infrastructure.
#17
The Vocal for Local campaign was integrated into Make in India to stimulate demand for domestic handicrafts, khadi, and local industrial products.
#18
Defense exports from India achieved a historic high exceeding 21,000 crore rupees in the 2023-24 financial year under domestic manufacturing push.
#19
Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) battery storage received an 18,100-crore rupee PLI allocation to build indigenous electric mobility infrastructure.
#20
The Semiconductor Mission and modified electronics manufacturing clusters support the domestic supply chain for high-technology hardware.

Subject Specialist Commentary

Analytical perspective & practical exam advice from the Master10 academic board

Educator's Insight
Make in India is a national industrial strategy designed to transform India into an international manufacturing hub. Launched by DPIIT in September 2014, the initiative focuses on four pillars: New Processes, New Infrastructure, New Sectors, and New Mindset. It aims to raise manufacturing to 25 percent of national economic output while attracting capital through 14 Production Linked Incentive schemes.
In UPSC and State PSC exams, avoid the trap of assuming Make in India applies only to heavy factory production; it covers 27 distinct sectors including services. Another common pitfall is confusing automatic defense FDI (74 percent) with government-approved defense FDI (up to 100 percent). For quick revision, remember the four pillars using the mnemonic PINS: Processes, Infrastructure, New Sectors, and State Mindset.

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