India’s electronics and semiconductor sector is at an inflection point. With government-backed incentives like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI), Electronic Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS), Design Linked Incentive (DLI) schemes, global supply chains realigning toward India, and domestic demand projected to propel the industry to US$500 billion by 2030, the country is rapidly shifting from a consumption-led market to a global hub for innovation, manufacturing, and IP creation.
At the heart of this momentum are platforms like electronica India and productronica India, organized by Messe Muenchen India. Far more than trade shows, these events have evolved into strategic accelerators of industry growth. By convening policymakers, global investors, innovators, suppliers, and manufacturers under one roof, they drive not just dialogue but measurable outcomes—new partnerships, technology transfers, integrated supply chains, and policy-to-market translation that strengthen India’s electronics value chain.
In this exclusive conversation with the ELE Times, President IMEA (India, Middle East, Africa), Messe München, CEO, Messe Muenchen India, shares his vision of how these platforms are turning India’s complexity into opportunity. From conceptualising the India Semiconductor Conclave to expanding into dual editions across North and South India, Mr. Singh outlines how electronica India and productronica India are catalyzing India’s transition from a promising market to a first-choice global electronics manufacturing hub. His insights reflect not only the growth of the two pioneering exhibitions but also the story of a nation positioning itself at the centre of the world’s electronics and semiconductor future.
- Since electronica India and productronica India began in 2000, what do you see as the biggest missed opportunities in their India journey—and how are you ensuring those opportunities are now fully realized?
In many ways, electronica India and productronica India have been a true barometer of India’s electronics industry. Over the years, as the Indian industry navigated the electronics design, services, and manufacturing industries from inverted tax structures to duty-free components and the current push for semiconductors and passive components self-reliance, these shows have consistently highlighted the trending opportunities supporting the Indian industry’s requirements.
While India’s exponential growth and the rapid evolution from being a talent pool to a design and manufacturing powerhouse were faster than expected, it did attract global players who recognized India’s potential. We are capitalising on this opportunity by curating platforms that connect policy makers, investors, innovators, suppliers, and manufacturers under one roof. Through initiatives such as the India PCB Tech Conference, CEO Forum, etc., and stronger global partnerships, we are converting that complexity into structured opportunity.
These events are not just exhibitions; they are essential hubs driving dialogue, enabling policy alignment, and facilitating high-value business partnerships critical to India’s electronics roadmap.
- What is your vision for electronica India and productronica India in the next 5-7 years, and what concrete milestones will you use to measure whether that vision is being achieved?
Our vision is anchored in India’s national target of US$500 billion in electronics manufacturing by 2030. We firmly believe in supporting this goal and are confident that our shows will act as catalysts for this journey—not just by providing visibility but by accelerating deal-making, knowledge exchange, and policy adoption.
To achieve our vision and in a move that marks a strategic turning point for India’s electronics manufacturing sector, we are rolling out a two-edition model—annual editions of electronica India and productronica India in both Delhi-NCR and Bengaluru. Each of these regions has its own unique ecosystems, and the new format responds to clear industry demand: shorter sourcing cycles, stronger regional access, and more consistent face-to-face engagement.
Through these region-focused shows, we look to transform India from being primarily a consumption market to becoming a global hub for innovation, manufacturing, and IP creation. The shows are designed as confluences of ideas—where roadmaps are stress-tested, sourcing strategies redesigned, and partnerships sealed. Success will be measured across four milestones:
- Business Outcomes – Tangible trade volumes and partnerships generated through the shows.
- Global Participation – More Tier-1 semiconductor and electronics majors co-locating their R&D and design centres in India.
- Policy Engagement – Using the platform to bridge government missions with industry stakeholders.
- Sustainability impact – Where exhibitors demonstrate measurable progress on green manufacturing.
- electronica India is often called a symbol of India’s technological strength. Beyond scale and visibility, what makes the show truly competitive against global giants like CES or Computex?
electronica India and productronica India began over two decades ago as focused B2B trade platforms. Today, they’ve evolved into the country’s largest integrated events for electronic components, systems, applications, and production technologies. While the comparison with CES or Computex is flattering, the differentiation is clear. Those are consumer-tech showcases, and electronica India and productronica India are ecosystem shows from the ground up—focused on components, design, production, and manufacturing solutions.
Our competitive edge lies in our ability to align India’s electronics strengths with global supply-chain needs while creating an authentic “design-to-manufacture” narrative. It lies in the deep dive systems view we offer from semiconductors and embedded systems to SMT automation, inspection, EMS, and supply-chain solutions.
For decision-makers, this is not about browsing the future of gadgets; it’s about validating million-dollar CapEx and OpEx decisions with live demonstrations. Our shows are centre points where product roadmaps are stress-tested, sourcing strategies redesigned, and partnerships get inked.
Moreover, the shows are dual-purpose: fulfilling the domestic market’s aspirations while positioning India as a credible export and services base. This unique two-front approach—local growth with global integration—makes them competitive with, and in some ways complementary to, the world’s largest technology platforms.
- You’ve announced that electronica India and productronica India will now be held twice a year. Isn’t there a risk of diluting quality or splitting participation? How will you prevent electronica India and productronica India from becoming just another crowded trade show?
The fear of dilution is natural, but the reality is different. India’s electronics industry is expanding so rapidly that one annual event can no longer serve its needs. Due to our shows taking place only once in two years in each region, 80% of our buyers visited only local shows, due to which they were facing significant sourcing gaps. They were pleased to support the dual-edition approach because it allows them to target regional clusters, send larger teams, and gain sharper insights.
Similarly, 70% of our top buyers felt that this was the way forward to create sharper industry fulfilments, and it meant easier access without waiting two years for the platform to return to their region or traveling across the country.
With exhibitor numbers growing year on year, two shows will mean a more expansive platform to enable us to cater to the entire industry across verticals and categories.
We don’t see this as two smaller shows. We see it as a distributed national platform. Quality will be preserved through strict curation, serious exhibitors, targeted buyers, and knowledge-driven conferences. Instead of spreading thin, we are going deeper, closer to where the industry is growing.
Our role is not just to mirror market shifts but to actively shape the ecosystem by fostering collaborations that lead to tangible outcomes.
- India’s electronics manufacturing has grown rapidly, but critical areas like advanced semiconductors and IP creation still lag. How do electronica India and productronica India plan to attract global leaders in these domains rather than just showcasing assembly strength?
The challenge is not just manufacturing scale—it’s moving up the value chain. To bridge this, we are positioning electronica India and productronica India as knowledge-driven hubs.
We are focusing on knowledge partnerships and high-level policy dialogues to make India a dependable choice for global majors. Initiatives such as the e-Future Conference, the Smart Factory Innovation Conference, the India Semiconductor Conclave, and many more are curated specifically to attract global chipmakers, fabless design firms, and equipment suppliers to engage with India’s policy-makers and startups. It’s not about showcasing assembly strength; it’s about sparking IP creation and R&D investments.
By presenting live case studies, early-stage MoUs, and collaborative projects, we aim to send a clear signal: India is serious about semiconductors, and now is the time for global leaders to place their bets here.
- With India’s electronics growth driven largely by government incentives, how does electronica India and productronica India see its own role—as policy influencer, industry catalyst, or bridge to global investors?
We are all three. Government incentives create momentum, but unless they are translated into execution, their impact is limited.
- As a policy influencer, we host closed-door roundtables where industry challenges directly inform government priorities.
- As an industry catalyst, we enable knowledge transfer and create forums for startups, MSMEs, and global giants to collaborate.
- As a bridge to investors, we bring global capital face-to-face with India’s electronics ecosystem.
The true value of these shows lies in being the intersection point where policy intent, industry capacity, and investor confidence converge.
- Many exhibitors today are ROI-driven. What hard evidence can you present to prove that participation at electronica India and productronica India translates into business growth and not just visibility?
We track ROI rigorously, and the data speaks clearly. In 2024, over 70% of exhibitors reported promising agreements and serious leads. Similarly, SMEs closed technology transfer agreements, while larger corporates expanded supplier networks.
The electronica India and productronica India growth trajectory is equally telling, with participation numbers rising year on year. From 325 exhibitors in 2022 to 839 exhibitors in 2024, we have come a long way. This is a clear indicator of the exhibitors’ gains, encouraging them to return to our shows year on year.
Beyond deals, the shows deliver strategic ROI: direct access to policymakers, visibility with investors, increased brand awareness, and insight into emerging market intelligence. In a sector where supply-chain decisions lock in for years, those conversations are invaluable.
- With global supply chains undergoing overhaul changes, how can electronica India and productronica India position India as a genuine hub for electronics innovation and manufacturing, rather than merely a fallback option?
By providing evidence of India’s resilience, scalability, and talent depth. Through partnerships showcased at our events, the shows highlight India’s evolution beyond the “China+1” narrative to becoming a first-choice hub.
On the show floor, visitors see the future in action: modular automation, smart pick-and-place systems, automotive-grade board protection, energy-efficient reflow technologies, and MES-ERP integrated traceability stacks. These aren’t just demonstrations—they are proofs of capability that global buyers need to see before committing to India.
At the same time, startups and MSMEs bring grassroots innovation, while global OEMs demonstrate scale and reliability. The combination tells the world that India is not just supplying today—it is prototyping tomorrow.
- Is electronica India and productronica India’s vision to focus on fewer genuine, high-value participants or on sheer numbers, and how will you ensure quality isn’t diluted?
Our goal comprises depth and scale. In fact, the numbers present a clear picture as to why our shows are very well balanced in terms of quantity and quality. We not only attract return exhibitors but also new exhibitors year on year.
In 2022, we welcomed 20,942 visitors who interacted with 325 exhibitors. In 2023, we saw 39,133 visitors connect with 600 companies, and in 2024, over 45,532 visitors met with over 839 companies from 29 countries.
And in 2025, we are looking at an unprecedented 60,000 sqm of space hosting over 850 exhibitors from 50 countries, showcasing 6,000+ products and solutions. With 2,000+ curated B2B meetings sitting buyers and suppliers across the table with pre-matched interests, our shows are engineered for outcomes.
While visitor numbers will naturally rise with India’s booming electronics sector, our curation will focus on qualified buyers, decision-makers, and technology leaders. We invest heavily in hosted buyer programs, matchmaking tools, and pre-scheduled meetings, ensuring deal-focused interactions.
In a landscape where supplier decisions lock in multi-year costs, those hours are highly leveraged where every interaction has business value.
- Finally, what is your key message to the visitors and participating brands this year—and what specific commitments are you ready to make to them?
My message is simple: electronica India and productronica India 2025 are not just exhibitions—they are growth accelerators.
We are committed to delivering:
- Business-ready leads through curated matchmaking and buyer forums.
- Knowledge leadership through world-class conferences and global experts.
- Policy access, giving industry participants a direct voice in shaping India’s electronics future.
Every participant, whether a startup or a multinational, should leave with something tangible: a lead, a partnership, or a policy connection. We promise to make the 2025 editions not just the stage for India’s electronics growth, but the engine that powers it forward.
