India Eyes a Global Smartphone Brand: Ashwini Vaishnaw

India is preparing to take a bold leap from being the world’s smartphone factory to becoming a global smartphone brand. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has outlined an ambitious vision to launch a homegrown Indian handset brand with worldwide reach.

This aspiration builds on a dramatic manufacturing turnaround. In just a decade, India has moved from importing nearly all smartphones to producing about 99% locally, marking one of the fastest manufacturing scale-ups globally.

The next strategic pivot is branding and innovation. The government is targeting the mid-to-premium smartphone segment, currently dominated by Apple and Samsung, where value, design, and ecosystem matter as much as cost.

Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes form the backbone of this push. These incentives have attracted over $15 billion in investments, generated around six lakh jobs, and are expected to drive smartphone exports to $50 billion by 2026.

Semiconductors are a critical enabler. With fabs by Tata and Micron expected to be operational by 2027, India aims to cut chip import dependence by nearly 40%, strengthening supply chain resilience.

Component ecosystems are also maturing. Display, battery, and assembly capacities are expanding through investments by Foxconn and Samsung, particularly in hubs like Noida and Tamil Nadu.

Competition will be intense. While Chinese brands dominate budget tiers, India’s proposed brand is expected to focus on the $300–800 segment, combining affordability with advanced AI and software capabilities.

However, challenges remain. Around 90% of components are still imported, data protection regulations add complexity, and the ecosystem needs a large pool of skilled hardware and AI engineers.

The economic upside is significant. India’s smartphone market could touch $100 billion by 2030, with a strong national brand supporting the broader Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

If executed well, this initiative could reposition India from an assembler to an innovator—creating a democratic, secure, and globally competitive alternative in the smartphone industry.