Where Have All the Factories Gone? Growth and Concentration of Sub-National Manufacturing Activity in India

Abstract

The spatial distribution of manufacturing across the states of India is analyzed covering the period 2004-05 to 2015-16. We found that the spatial concentration of manufacturing activity has increased since 2004-05. More industrialized states (Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu) are found to have continued their dominance measured in terms of their share of output, factories and workers in manufacturing. They are observed to have captured a greater share of incremental growth of factories and workers. This outcome may be attributed to their comparative advantage due to agglomeration economies. Differences in the net entry of factories (and workers) in registered and unregistered segments of manufacturing are observed between different states of India. The estimates of net entry of factories in five selected industry groups in registered manufacturing are found to be consistent with agglomeration at the sectoral level.