Chinese Brands Expand Smartphone Manufacturing in India
Chinese smartphone brands are significantly expanding their production footprint in India, capitalising on the nation’s growing manufacturing infrastructure and export capabilities.
Chinese Brands Manufacturing
Major global names such as Redmi, Vivo, Oppo, Realme, Hisense, Motorola, and Tecno are increasingly partnering with Indian contract manufacturers like Dixon Technologies, Karbonn, and Bhagwati Products. This move supports their cost-efficiency goals and helps diversify their supply chains.
Smartphone Exports
India has emerged as one of the top smartphone producers globally, churning out 150–160 million units annually. Devices “Made in India” are now being exported to markets across the US, West Asia, Africa, and beyond, with Chinese brands leading the wave and leveraging the country’s export-friendly setup.
Contract Manufacturers Competing
Indian electronics manufacturing services (EMS) firms are fiercely vying for these opportunities. Dixon Technologies, with over 17 factories, remains a dominant player. Yet Karbonn and Bhagwati Products are aggressively scaling up to secure future contracts, particularly as production-linked incentives (PLI) are phased out.
Global Supply-Chain Rebalancing
This shift forms part of a broader trend of supply-chain diversification away from China. As India inches toward parity with China in global smartphone production, especially in assembling devices like Apple’s iPhone, its strategic importance continues to rise amid global trade and geopolitical uncertainties.
Implications for India
- Boost to Make in India: The active involvement of Chinese brands underscores India’s success in building export-ready manufacturing infrastructure and creating employment.
- Enhanced ecosystem: Rising exports reflect deeper capabilities in component sourcing and quality assembly, though India still trails China on high-end component production.
- Domestic competition: EMS firms like Dixon are gaining scale, but to sustain growth, they must invest in advanced manufacturing processes and technology integration.
India’s transformation into a global smartphone manufacturing and export powerhouse is accelerating—bolstered by Chinese investments and a maturing local supply chain ecosystem.
