New Delhi – The central government has extended the application deadline for Round 4 of its Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for white goods (air conditioners and LED lights) to 10 November 2025, citing robust demand from industry players.
Initially slated to run from 15 September to 14 October, the window was extended after DPIIT noted a growing appetite among manufacturers to participate. The scheme aims to promote domestic production of critical components, boost local value addition and reduce reliance on imports.
The PLI scheme for white goods was approved in April 2021 with an outlay of ₹6,238 crore and is scheduled for implementation over 2021-22 to 2028-29. Under the first three rounds, 83 applicants have been selected, committing ₹10,406 crore in investments to date, according to public reports.
In the third round, 24 companies were provisionally selected with total committed investment of ₹3,516 crore. Of these, 18 new firms pledged ₹2,299 crore, while 6 existing beneficiaries committed additional investments of ₹1,217 crore.
PLI scheme for white goods
The selected firms include manufacturers of components for both ACs and LED lighting, such as heat exchangers, compressors, LED drivers and printed circuit boards.
So far, cumulative commitments under the white goods scheme are expected to result in production worth approximately ₹1,72,663 crore, with 84 beneficiary firms projected overall.
The extension gives additional time to firms to finalise proposals, align supply chain partners and meet eligibility criteria. Officials say it signals that many manufacturers did not complete their submissions in the original window and require more flexibility to participate.
For new entrants and existing participants aiming to upgrade or broaden their segments, the additional time could make the difference in securing access to incentives tied to domestic incremental production.
Under the scheme, approved entities receive incentives on incremental sales subject to meeting domestic value-addition thresholds and performance metrics. The incentive rate ranges from 4 per cent to 6 per cent over a defined period following the base year and a gestation phase.
Govt hopes more players will join
Qualified proposals will need to demonstrate scalability, supply chain readiness and ability to meet localisation norms. Approved firms will receive benefits only for the remainder of the scheme tenure.
The white goods sector—especially components for air conditioners and LED lighting—is viewed as strategically important given rising energy efficiency demand and import exposure.
By channeling investment into key parts manufacturing, the scheme seeks to strengthen India’s role in global supply chains and foster manufacturing resilience.
With this extension, the government hopes more players will join, deepening domestic capacity and accelerating the transition from import dependence to a more self-reliant component ecosystem.
