Charu Mathur, director general of the Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers’ Association (IEEMA), has nearly three decades of experience across various sectors in manufacturing and services. In her role, she represents IEEMA in numerous government and industry forums, focusing on policy, economic and commercial matters.
Prior to her tenure at IEEMA, Mathur held strategic leadership positions at Amazon and the Confederation of Indian Industry.
At IEEMA, one of her key priorities includes strengthening member capabilities through targeted programmes, driving policy advocacy, expanding market opportunities and enhancing skill development through its Power Skill Development Council. It also prioritises quality adherence to boost industry standards and global competitiveness. Through these efforts, IEEMA aims to foster growth and elevate the electrical and allied electronics sector. IEEMA facilitates collaboration and the sharing of best practices among manufacturers and stakeholders, creating new market opportunities.
“IEEMA has a positive outlook for the power sector, anticipating high potential CAGR of about 12 per cent,” she says. With conducive policies, the industry could reach $125 billion-$130 billion, contributing over 8 per cent to the GDP and generating new employment opportunities. “The key opportunities lie in renewable energy, smart grid technologies and the EV market,” she adds.
However, the sector faces key challenges such as the scarcity of critical raw materials for extra high voltage equipment, disruptions from various quality control orders and a lack of available domestic testing facilities. Additionally, the shortage of skilled manpower and financial constraints hinder growth
and innovation.
To address these issues, securing critical materials through production-linked incentives, streamlining BIS certification processes, and strengthening local manufacturing under the Make in India initiative are essential. Enhancing testing infrastructure, adopting phased local content requirements and fostering skill development through industry-academia collaboration will further support sectoral growth and resilience. IEEMA’s Power Skill Development Council is dedicated to upgrading the capacities of members in the sector.
Mathur holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and a master’s in Business Economics from Delhi University.