India aspiring to be the leader of Industry Revolution 4.0 has set the target of being a major global hub for drones by 2030 which will boost the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 1-1.5 percent while adding at least five lakh jobs in the coming years. Drones have been dubbed as an essential part of the Industry 4.0 ecosystem. The drone industry is asking for an expansion of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme which was rolled out by the government in 2021.
“(PLI scheme for) drones is a small scheme. The companies were happy with the way the scheme is being implemented. Their only ask was to expand the scheme. The industry is looking for a second opportunity for more players to apply and to increase the outlay. In this sector, almost all the beneficiaries are startups and micro, small and medium enterprises,” Pawan Goenka, the chairperson of the Steering Committee for Advancing Local value-add and Exports (SCALE), has told ET.
