Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1538999
SEPTEMBER 2025 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 7 N O L A N 'S N OT ES why the electronics manufacturing industry is the most interconnected supply chain on the planet. India is more an international exporter of electron- ics finished goods than a domestic consumer, so a 50% tariff on Indian electronics exports could be an economic damper. Right now, all electronics are exempt from the tariff. We visit Cyient DLM, an India-based EMS provider, and explore how the domestic Indian defense sector is growing. You get a sneak peek at the upcoming IEMI conference and look at India's increasing activity in standards development. In other features, we're proud to launch a series on EV technologies, authored by Stanton Rak, co-chair of the Technical Program Committee for the Global Electronics Association, who's leading the development of the special sessions at APEX EXPO for EV, power electronics, and high-voltage. He's also a consultant on automotive issues to the Association's Technology Solutions team. Chintan Sanghani shares his recent experience successfully implementing LEAN in a low-volume/ high-mix EMS environment, and I'm reprinting an excellent article by Sam McMaster of Pillarhouse International, showcasing the relationship between soldering and sustainability. Our cadre of columnists this month includes Josh Casper, who is discussing the current state of the market for odd-form assembly. CEE's Tom Yang con- tinues his exposé on China's ongoing (and growing?) relevance in the industry, and Nash Bell knocks down the bone pile with a piece on BGA repair. In summary, not just India deserves this kind of coverage. The greater Americas (outside the U.S. and Canada) are on the grow. Europe is undergoing a major transition in the structure of its PCB industry, and Southeast Asia's growth is very healthy. In future issues, we will look at each region. The electronics manufacturing industry is already deeply interconnected; these shifts offer opportunities to develop more robust sup- ply chains with built-in redundancy and for new regions to build skills and infrastructure. As always, we welcome your feedback and story suggestions. SMT007 References 1. "India: Fastest-Growing Major Economy," by PIB Delhi, Azadi Amrit Ka Mahotsav, April 23, 2025. 2. "PLI Scheme: India Invites Applications for Second Round of Large-Scale Electronics Manufacturing," ELCINA, April 2021. 3. "US-India trade talks scheduled for August called off, source says," by Reuters, Aug. 16, 2025. 4. "U.S. delegation's India visit reportedly called off as trade tensions simmer," by Vinay Dwivedi, CNBC, Aug. 16, 2025. Nolan Johnson is managing editor of SMT007 Magazine. Nolan brings 30 years of career experience focused almost entirely on electronics design and manufacturing. To contact Johnson, click here.