Tamil Nadu has more factories than any other Indian state, according to a ranking posted by The Indian Index and attributed to the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI).
Here is the full top 10 and what the numbers tell us.
More on this topic: TechnoSports Indian States coverage.
Top 10 Indian: Details at a Glance
| Rank | State | Number of factories |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tamil Nadu | 41,221 |
| 2 | Gujarat | 33,084 |
| 3 | Maharashtra | 27,379 |
| 4 | Uttar Pradesh | 24,964 |
| 5 | Karnataka | 15,629 |
| 6 | Andhra Pradesh | 15,602 |
| 7 | Telangana | 13,937 |
| 8 | Punjab | 13,376 |
| 9 | Rajasthan | 11,062 |
| 10 | Haryana | 10,940 |
The Big Three
Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra together account for 101,684 factories in the list, more than the next seven states combined by a wide margin. Tamil Nadu’s lead reflects its dense mix of textiles, auto parts, electronics and small units.
Gujarat is known for chemicals, petrochemicals and engineering, while Maharashtra has a broad industrial base around Mumbai and Pune.
Close Races Further Down
Karnataka (15,629) and Andhra Pradesh (15,602) are separated by just 27 factories, so their order could flip in the next survey. Telangana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana round out the top 10.
The Annual Survey of Industries is run by the Ministry of Statistics. Read more about the economy of India and our manufacturing coverage.
What Factory Counts Do Not Show
A count of factories does not show output, jobs or investment. A state with fewer but larger plants can produce more than one with many small units. Compare employment and value added before drawing conclusions about industrial strength.
The post does not name the survey year, so we cannot say how recent the figures are.
Why This Ranking Matters Now
Policy debates on manufacturing and supply chain resilience often cite state-level strength. States compete for investment through incentives, land and power supply, so the factory count is one clue about where industry is already rooted.
Southern and western states dominate the top of the list, but Uttar Pradesh in fourth place shows the growth of northern manufacturing as well.
What Is Not Confirmed
- The ASI survey year for the figures.
- Employment or output per state.
- Whether the counts include only registered factories.
- Figures for states outside the top 10.
Quick Answers
Which state has the most factories?
Tamil Nadu, with 41,221.
Which state is second?
Gujarat, with 33,084.
What is the source?
The Annual Survey of Industries, per the post.
Source: The Indian Index on X, Economy of India on Wikipedia, MoSPI.
How States Compete for Factories
States offer land, power tariffs, subsidies and faster approvals to attract plants. Clusters matter too: once suppliers, workers and ports sit close together, new factories follow.
Tamil Nadu’s electronics and auto clusters and Gujarat’s chemical belts are examples. Smaller states in the list, such as Haryana and Punjab, benefit from their closeness to Delhi markets and road links.
Bottom Line
Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra lead by a large margin, and the next group is tightly bunched. A count of factories is a useful but limited measure, so pair it with output and jobs data.
Check the latest Annual Survey of Industries tables for the newest year.
