EE: Can you tell us about the Global Electronics Association and how your mission is particularly relevant to India’s fast-evolving electronics manufacturing landscape?
Mr. Gaurab: The Global Electronics Association is the evolved identity of IPC, building on a legacy of nearly 70 years in serving the global electronics manufacturing ecosystem. Our mission is to strengthen the entire electronics value chain through standards, certifications, workforce development, and industry intelligence.
In the context of India’s rapidly advancing electronics manufacturing sector, this mission couldn’t be more relevant. As India positions itself as a global hub under initiatives like Make in India and PLI schemes, the need for trusted global standards, resilient supply chains, and skilled talent becomes critical. The Association is committed to helping India meet this moment, by harmonizing design and manufacturing practices, enabling compliance with international benchmarks, and supporting local capability-building across OEMs, EMS providers, and the supply base.
We see India not just as a fast-growing market, but as a strategic player in the global electronics ecosystem. Our efforts are focused on ensuring that India’s growth is backed by world-class processes, a future-ready workforce, and a globally competitive manufacturing infrastructure.
EE: Beyond the rebranding from IPC to Global Electronics Association, what tangible benefits or new capabilities should Indian members and stakeholders expect from this transition?
Mr. Gaurab: The rebranding from IPC to the Global Electronics Association is more than a name change, it reflects a strategic expansion of our capabilities, global outlook, and commitment to addressing the industry’s evolving needs.
For our Indian members and stakeholders, this transition brings tangible benefits in several key areas:
- Broader Advocacy & Global Visibility: We are now positioned to engage more directly with global policymakers, helping shape trade, export controls which affect India’s role in global supply chains.
- Deeper Regional Support: India will see an increased focus on country-specific initiatives, from strengthening regional supply chain capabilities to supporting state-level skilling programs and manufacturing incentives.
- Sustainability Initiative with Digital Manufacturing Focus
Through initiatives like EVOLVE, members will gain access to tools, case studies, and practical guidance on sustainability reporting, resource optimization, and digital manufacturing, a key area as India embraces Industry 4.0.
- Uninterrupted Access to IPC Standards and Certifications: Indian companies will continue to benefit from IPC’s globally recognized standards and certification programs. These are critical tools for improving manufacturing quality, meeting international compliance requirements, and gaining customer trust, especially for companies looking to scale exports.
EE: What becomes of the IPC legacy in India — especially its certifications, standards, and partnerships with local institutions? Will these evolve under the Associations’ umbrella or remain standalone?
Mr. Gaurab: All IPC standards, certifications, and training programs will continue without disruption.
With the new name, we’ve widened the reach of IPC’s offerings by embedding them into a broader global framework that now includes advanced packaging, sustainability, digital manufacturing, and supply chain resiliency. Our engagement with local institutions, such as technical universities, skill councils, and industry associations, will continue and deepen as we bring in more globally aligned programs to build capabilities in emerging areas and support India’s role in next-generation electronics manufacturing.
EE: How is the Association supporting innovation and digital transformation across developing markets?
Mr. Gaurab: As the newly rebranded Global Electronics Association, our mission is more aligned than ever with enabling innovation and accelerating digital transformation across developing markets. We see these regions not just as emerging players but as the future engines of global electronics growth.
Our approach is multi-pronged and impact-driven:
- Digital Enablement through IPC-CFX:
A major pillar of our digital transformation efforts is the promotion of IPC-CFX (Connected Factory Exchange). This open, plug-and-play Industry 4.0 standard enables real-time, bidirectional data exchange between equipment and systems, critical for smart manufacturing. By supporting CFX adoption in developing regions, we’re helping manufacturers increase transparency, improve traceability, and reduce cost barriers to automation without relying on expensive proprietary solutions.
- Industry Intelligence & Insights
We provide data-driven reports, benchmarking studies, and global market analysis to help Indian companies make better-informed decisions. These insights support planning, risk management, and understanding where India fits into the evolving global electronics value chain.
- Design-Focused Initiatives
We’re expanding our support for design for manufacturability and reliability, helping engineers adopt global design standards from the earliest stages. Our design-focused webinars, technical sessions, and training modules are tailored to strengthen India’s capabilities in both product innovation and production efficiency.
- Research and White Papers:
We continuously publish white papers and research on critical topics like sustainability, supply chain resilience, advanced packaging, etc. These resources help our members, stay ahead of the curve and align with global expectations.
EE: How do you tailor the Association’s global programs to fit the cultural and regional nuances specific to India — for example, language diversity, tier-2 and tier-3 city skilling, or public-private engagement styles?
Mr. Gaurab: India is not a uniform market, it’s a mosaic of languages, regions, and development stages. At the Global Electronics Association, we’re deeply aware that to be effective, our global programs must be culturally sensitive and locally relevant.
We tailor our approach in several ways:
- Regional and Language Adaptation
We deliver our training and certification programs through regional instructors who can communicate in local languages, and we ensure materials are simplified and adapted for clarity. This is especially important for tier-2 and tier-3 cities, where the talent pool is strong, but access to global content may be limited.
- Cluster-Based Skilling
We map our content to India’s manufacturing clusters. For example, mobile and consumer electronics in Noida, EMS in Chennai, or EV components in Pune. Our training is contextualized so it speaks directly to job roles and production challenges specific to each cluster.
- Public–Private Partnership Alignment
We work closely with Indian government bodies, skilling agencies, and industry groups to integrate our offerings into broader national goals, whether it’s through Make in India, Skill India, or state-level electronics policies.
- Regional Technical Session
We are conducting regional technical sessions across India to address the specific needs of local manufacturing clusters. These sessions focus on practical, standards-based topics and are designed to ensure more inclusive industry engagement and skill development.
EE: With AI, electric mobility, and Industry 4.0 reshaping electronics manufacturing globally, how is The Association working to ensure Indian companies and talent aren’t left behind?
Mr. Gaurab: In India, our immediate focus as an Association is on strengthening the fundamentals, accelerating standards adoption, enhancing workforce skilling, and aligning with the needs of high-growth sectors like electric mobility, consumer electronics, and automotive systems.
While AI and Industry 4.0 are shaping the global landscape, our role is to ensure companies here are equipped with the right tools, standards, and talent to engage with these technologies in a practical and scalable way.
We’re already conducting regional technical sessions and hands-on training programs on topics like advanced PCB design, wire harnessing, and IPC-A-610-based quality control, which are foundational for high-reliability electronics. These are complemented by globally recognized IPC certification programs, which continue to help companies align with international quality benchmarks.
Looking ahead, we’re also developing curated education and skill development programs focused specifically on AI, digital manufacturing, and Industry 4.0 readiness. These programs will go beyond certification to provide engineers and technicians with the applied knowledge needed to transition into advanced manufacturing environments.
Equally important is our growing emphasis on standards development. India is no longer just adopting global standards; it’s actively helping shape them. Through our India and Southeast Asia Standards Development Initiative, we’ve engaged stakeholders across PCB assembly, wire harness, EV electronics, and inspection. This regional participation is helping India build its voice in global technical committees, as reflected in our dedicated newsletter: electronics.org/india-SEA-standards-development-news-letter
Mr. Gaurab: India has a large talent pool, but gaps remain in advanced electronics manufacturing skills. How is the Association addressing this through training, certifications, or partnerships in the country?
Mr. Gaurab: At the Global Electronics Association, we’re addressing gaps through a very practical approach. For example, we’ve certified thousands of professionals in IPC standards like IPC-A-610 for electronics assembly, IPC/WHMA-A-620 for wire harnesses, and J-STD-001 for soldering. These programs are run across all parts of India, like – Delhi, Pune, Chennai, Bengaluru, and even tier-2 cities like Coimbatore and Mysuru, and so on, through our network of certified training centers and regional instructors.
We’ve also been running hand soldering and wire harness competitions, not just as events but to spotlight the importance of precision skills.
Importantly, we are initiating direct engagement with colleges and technical institutions. As part of our Workforce Development Projects initiative (Workforce Projects PDF), we are working to introduce IPC standards and practical training modules into final-year engineering and diploma programs. This early intervention helps students graduate with industry-recognized skills and improves their readiness for employment from day one.
Our broader goal is to build a future-ready workforce that supports India’s transition into advanced electronics manufacturing by blending certification, hands-on learning, and institutional partnerships.
EE: With the push towards sustainability and circular electronics, how are regional stakeholders responding?
Mr. Gaurab: Regional stakeholders in India are responding with increasing seriousness. Companies are starting to align with sustainability goals through pilot initiatives in waste reduction, safer materials, and energy efficiency. Global Electronics Association’s EVOLVE program has seen growing interest, especially from OEMs and EMS firms looking to integrate sustainability into their operations. At the same time, we’re seeing more collaboration with recyclers and policy bodies to support circular practices, particularly around e-waste and resource recovery. It’s still early, but the momentum is real and the focus shifts from compliance to strategic action.
EE: Some critics point out that electronics manufacturing has a large environmental footprint. What is Global Electronics Association doing in India to help member companies adopt greener practices, and how are you measuring progress?
Mr. Gaurab: At the Global Electronics Association, we are deeply committed to helping the electronics industry grow responsibly and sustainably especially in rapidly developing markets like India. We recognize that while electronics manufacturing drives innovation and employment, it must also meet the highest environmental standards to ensure long-term global competitiveness.
One of our key initiatives addressing this challenge is EVOLVE—a global IPC sustainability program with strong implementation focus on India and other key regions. EVOLVE is designed to help member companies, especially MSMEs and regional manufacturers toward environmentally responsible practices without compromising on quality or efficiency.
It’s focused on:
- Sustainability-Centric Capacity Building:
We deliver specialized training and workshops under the EVOLVE banner, covering global green standards such as IPC-1401, RoHS, and circular manufacturing principles.
- On-Ground Assessments and Roadmaps:
Through EVOLVE, member companies receive tailored sustainability assessments and action roadmaps that identify energy inefficiencies, waste generation points, and environmental risk areas.
- Technology Enablement & Process Improvements:
EVOLVE connects companies with cleaner technologies and smarter process controls that help reduce water usage, power consumption, and material waste. We also encourage design for environment (DfE) principles.
- Policy Alignment and Partnerships:
In collaboration with Indian regulatory bodies and local industry clusters, EVOLVE helps companies align with compliance mandates like Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and local environmental guidelines, enabling smoother certification and recognition.
- Measuring Impact:
We are introducing a Sustainability Scorecard through EVOLVE to help companies benchmark their progress on ESG metrics, track annual improvements, and align global reporting standards. These scorecards also aid in supply chain transparency and investor confidence.
We believe that innovation and sustainability must go hand in hand, and with EVOLVE, we are proud to lead that transformation on the ground.
EE: Where do you see the biggest investment opportunities in electronics over the next 5–10 years in your regions?
Mr. Gaurab: In India, the biggest investment opportunities over the next 5–10 years lie in below high-impact areas:
- Electric Mobility and Automotive Electronics:
With the rapid push for EV adoption, there’s growing demand for power electronics, battery management systems, and high-voltage wire harnesses. States like Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra are emerging as EV electronics hubs.
- Advanced Packaging and Semiconductor Ecosystem:
Under the India Semiconductor Mission and supportive PLI schemes, there’s a strong push toward setting up OSAT facilities and substrate manufacturing, especially in Gujarat and Karnataka.
- Defence & Aerospace:
We are seeing a significant push for indigenization under initiatives like Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat. This sector demands high-reliability electronics, traceability, and compliance with global standards, creating strong opportunities for investment in specialized manufacturing, testing, and component ecosystems.
- Consumer Electronics:
India is already a global manufacturing hub particularly for mobile devices and smart appliances. But the real opportunity now lies in moving up the value chain from large-scale assembly to localization of sub-assemblies and critical components, such as PCBs, camera modules, and battery systems. This makes consumer electronics a strategic sector for long-term, high-value investment.
What ties all this together is the need for a globally competitive, standards-driven ecosystem, and that’s exactly where we’re working with the industry through training, certification, and supply chain capability development.
