Samsung India's public affairs chief Rajiv Aggarwal steps down

Former bureaucrat Rajiv Aggarwal exits after nearly four years leading Samsung India's government relations and ESG functions, as the company navigates regulatory pressure over smartphone rules, data privacy and e-waste policy.

Rajiv Aggarwal, Samsung India's head of public affairs and ESG, has resigned from the company after close to four years in the position, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing two sources familiar with the matter. He is understood to be in his final week at the company, though the precise reason behind his exit remains unclear.

The 57-year-old, a former career bureaucrat, had been the primary point of contact between Samsung and Indian policymakers, overseeing the company's approach to public policy and environmental, social and governance issues. He joined Samsung in late 2022 after stints in senior public policy positions at Meta and Uber.

His exit comes at a sensitive moment for Samsung and other multinational tech firms operating in India, which are contending with a shifting regulatory landscape touching smartphone regulations, data protection, electronic waste rules and domestic manufacturing requirements.

A key figure in Samsung's government engagement

Samsung, alongside Apple, has recently pushed back against government demands to pre-load state-developed applications on smartphones, citing privacy concerns. Separately, Samsung is among several firms challenging in court a government policy that raises the fees manufacturers must pay to electronic-waste recyclers — a rule that has become a flashpoint as India tries to build out formal recycling infrastructure alongside its electronics manufacturing base.

Aggarwal's departure removes a central figure from Samsung's policy engagement just as New Delhi continues urging global electronics makers to deepen local investment and production. Samsung has steadily scaled up its manufacturing and research operations in India, cementing the country's role as both a key market and production hub. The company currently holds a 16.2 percent share of India's smartphone market, tied with Oppo and trailing leader Vivo, according to Reuters — a notable shift from 2023, when Samsung topped the market.

A career spanning government and corporate roles

Prior to Samsung, Aggarwal held public policy positions at Meta and Uber, following an earlier career as an Indian Administrative Service officer. The Public Affairs Forum of India describes him as a former IAS officer who moved through various administrative posts before transitioning to the corporate world. In a 2025 announcement, Samsung had named him senior vice president for public affairs and ESG at Samsung Southwest Asia.

His resignation adds to a pattern of turnover within Samsung India's public policy team; Reuters had reported in April 2023 that three policy executives left the company within the span of a single week.