Diwali Shines Light On Domestic Lighting Industry

With the Indian government pulling the plug on LED imports, domestic manufacturers have a massive opportunity to expand their footprint in the market. LED exporters offering products at cheaper price have hitherto dominated the Indian market outselling even local businesses. This Diwali, however, could spark a new phase for Indian lighting segment as demand for festive and decorative lighting will present a lucrative avenue for domestic manufacturers. According to a recent report from the Electric Lamp and Component Manufacturers Association (ELCOMA), the Indian lighting market is expected to de-grow by INR 30 billion between years 2020-21 since the industry has faced slowdown due to the recent 2-month nation-wide lockdown followed by slow recovery rate. However, the association is also certain that Indian lighting industry can make a strong comeback through localisation as Diwali festivities bring back demand. Affirming the industry’s potential to make a positive return, Shyam Sujan, Secretary General, ELCOMA shared “Although the lighting industry is currently facing a slowdown due to global supply chain disruption, the industry is expected to bounce back stronger by gaining 5% year-on-year growth in the next three years with LED market occupying 92% share of total lighting value. As the economy resettles, the step to localise supply chain will definitely strengthen the industry and eventually help us become one of the major players in the global lighting segment” On a national scale, the rapid adoption of energy-efficient street lighting systems, development schemes and upcoming smart building projects initiated by the government offer inordinate opportunities to domestic manufacturers to produce complete LED products within India. The ‘Make in India’ initiative and recent call for 'Atmanirbhar' Bharat by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought focus on local manufacturing potential in the country. Localising LED supply chain will be a prominent step as it will not only eliminate import costs, but also help India transform into a major exporter of LED goods in the coming years.