Information technology and electronics industry
Also called: IT industry · Topic: Manufacturing Industries of India: Location and Distribution · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 6 "Manufacturing Industries"; Class 10, Ch 7 "Lifelines of National Economy"
Meaning
This industry makes electronic goods and software. Its products range from transistor sets and televisions to telecom equipment, telephone exchanges, radars and computers. It is footloose and high-tech. Footloose means it can set up almost anywhere, because it does not need bulky raw materials. High-tech means it depends on research and on skilled graduates. So it grows on the edges of big cities with good connectivity. Its biggest gains for India are jobs and foreign exchange from software exports. STPI (1991) gave early support to the industry.
Example
Bengaluru (Karnataka) is called the "electronic capital of India". Other main centres are Noida, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune.
Don't confuse with
- Technopolis: this is a self-sustaining high-tech region such as Silicon Valley. Whether Bengaluru counts as one is still a question to think about.