BANGALORE – India’s embryonic EMS sector is preparing for a breakout, based on recent forecasts from various market watchers.

The Indian EMS industry will be worth $4 billion by 2010, growing over 30% annually, says the Electronics Component Industries Association (Elcina), a group of some 280 domestic electronics manufacturers.

Research firm iSuppli pegs the market at somewhat smaller, estimating contract assembly in India will increase 21% each year to $2.03 billion in 2009, from $935 million last year.

Among the EMS firms that are growing in India are Jabil Circuit and Celestica, which are acquiring Indian companies, and Hon Hai, which recently committed $110 million in investments over the next five years.

Driving investment are the telecom and computing sectors.

The number of telephone users is forecast to rise to 22 per 1000 by end 2007, from the current level of nine per 1000.

Also, computer peripherals are forecast to grow 23% annually through 2009.

Consumer electronics are expected to rise 18% per year during that span.