Industries convert raw materials into finished goods and form the secondary sector of the economy. India's major industries include iron and steel, textiles, cement, sugar and information technology. Their locations and leading states are frequently asked in exams.
Iron and Steel Industry
- It is a basic and heavy industry.
- TISCO at Jamshedpur (1907) was India's first major steel plant.
- Most plants are in the Chhota Nagpur Plateau region (Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh) due to nearby coal and iron ore.
- SAIL is the main public sector steel company.
Textile Industry
- One of the oldest and largest industries; a big employer.
- Mumbai is called the Cottonopolis / Manchester of India.
- Ahmedabad is the Manchester of India for cotton textiles.
- Jute industry is centred in West Bengal (Hooghly belt).
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Cement and Sugar Industries
- The first cement plant was set up in Chennai in 1904.
- Cement needs limestone; Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are key producers.
- The sugar industry is mostly in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
- Sugar is an agro-based industry located near sugarcane fields.
Information Technology (IT) Industry
- Bengaluru is the Silicon Valley of India.
- Other IT hubs: Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai and Gurugram.
- IT and software exports earn large foreign exchange.
Quick Revision Points
- First steel plant: TISCO, Jamshedpur (1907).
- SAIL is the public sector steel giant.
- Ahmedabad = Manchester of India.
- Jute industry: West Bengal.
- First cement plant: Chennai, 1904.
- Sugar leaders: UP and Maharashtra.
- Bengaluru = Silicon Valley of India.