UP Leads Smartphone Manufacturing With 55% Share, Says CM Yogi Adityanath

Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, while participating in the discussion on Budget 2026–27, said, “Uttar Pradesh has recorded remarkable progress in the IT and electronics sector over the past nine years.” During this period, the state has worked with renewed direction and speed, resulting in 55% of the country’s total smartphone manufacturing now taking place in Uttar Pradesh alone.

Yogi added that the state has also emerged as a leader in electronic component manufacturing, with nearly 60% of the country’s electronic components being produced in UP.

Chief Minister said that Uttar Pradesh is also rapidly advancing in the semiconductor sector. Under global investment initiatives, leading semiconductor companies have begun investing in the state.

On February 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of a fab unit in Gautam Buddha Nagar. Leading global companies, in collaboration with Indian firms, will invest in this project.

Government is actively working to attract investment worth ₹32,196 crore for semiconductor projects. Significant budgetary provisions have also been made to strengthen electronic manufacturing.

In the IT export sector as well, the state has witnessed substantial growth. In 2015-16, software exports from Uttar Pradesh were limited to ₹15,000 crore, whereas today they have increased to ₹75,000-80,000 crore - demonstrating the state’s growing technological capability and talent base.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath noted that earlier the state lacked a startup culture, but today more than 20,000 registered startups are active in Uttar Pradesh. He remarked that the earlier “startup culture” was limited to illegal activities, whereas today the ecosystem promotes innovation and entrepreneurship.

Nearly half of the registered startups are led by women, reflecting growing women empowerment and entrepreneurial encouragement in the state. Uttar Pradesh has achieved recognition as a Top Performer State in the National Startup Ranking.

Chief Minister said, “A comprehensive campaign is being conducted to train citizens and government personnel in Artificial Intelligence (AI) under the ‘AI Pragya’ initiative.” The government is collaborating with major companies across the country to run training programs so that people in the state can become proficient in emerging technologies.

He mentioned that training for legislators in AI had already begun last year and emphasized that this should be a continuous process.

Uttar Pradesh government is also running special programs to enhance self-reliance in electronic components and increase participation in global value chains.

To create new opportunities for tech-oriented youth, government has planned to provide AR (Augmented Reality), VR (Virtual Reality) and XR (Extended Reality)-based skill training to 25 lakh youth, with special budgetary allocations made for this purpose.

AR technology overlays digital elements onto the real world - for example, digital directions or 3D models displayed through glasses or mobile screens. This technology is widely used in games and applications today. The government aims to train youth in this field to strengthen their skills.

Chief Minister explained that in VR technology, users wear a headset and enter a completely computer-generated environment, separate from the real world. For instance, a person can virtually visit a historical site from home.

The VR technology holds significant employment potential in tourism, education, and entertainment. The government has allocated ₹100 crore for VR-based skill development programs.

Yogi Adityanath further explained that XR represents a blend of real and digital worlds, allowing digital objects to be placed and interacted with in real-world settings.

The government plans to leverage this technology to create new opportunities in tourism and other sectors. For the first time, special provisions for these emerging technologies have been included in Uttar Pradesh budget.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that funds have been arranged to establish an AI Center of Excellence in the state. U-Hubs (Plug-and-Play, Incubation, and Innovation centers) will be set up in Lucknow and Gautam Buddha Nagar. These hubs will provide startups, youth, and entrepreneurs with necessary resources, mentorship and infrastructure under one roof.

He concluded that these initiatives demonstrate that Uttar Pradesh has moved beyond the category of a “BIMARU” state. The state’s image has transformed because the government has worked consistently in that direction.