Against the backdrop of AI hardware demand crowding out global production capacity and driving up prices of key raw materials such as copper-clad laminates (CCLs), India's electronics manufacturing industry is facing the dual pressures of high PCB costs and supply shortages. As a core component of products such as smartphones and automobiles, PCB production capacity is rapidly flowing to the high-profit AI application sector, leading to tighter supplies for traditional electronics companies. Although India has rapidly expanded electronic assembly and exports through subsidy policies, it still relies on imports for approximately 88% of its PCB raw materials, highlighting the vulnerability of its supply chain. CCL prices have surged by 200% to 350%, and the shortage may last for a year. Cost pressures have already been transmitted along the supply chain, with some manufacturers negotiating price increases with automotive customers, ultimately passing the cost on to consumers. This year, during the holiday season, Apple, home appliance, and automakers raised prices instead of lowering them, further highlighting the potential suppression of demand by supply constraints. India's subsidy projects promoting domestic PCB capacity construction are expected to begin production next year, but the supply chain tensions are unlikely to ease significantly in the short term.
