Beijing-based leading Smartphone maker, Xiaomi, has started assembling phones from Sri City in Andhra Pradesh’s Chitoor district for the Indian market.
Xiaomi has partnered Taiwan’s Foxconn Technology Group to manufacture the phone, its first “Made-in-India”.
It said the facility at Sri City has a good source of highly skilled technical manpower and an enterprising population.
The Sri City factory is making Redmi 2 Prime, a device priced at Rupee 6,999 or US$110. Comparatively, Xiaomi’s flagship device is above US$480.
Hugo Barra, vice-president who heads Xiaomi’s global marketing, said: “Manufacturing smartphones locally is a significant step towards incorporating Xiaomi into the fabric of India in the years to come.”
He said the move will bring Xiaomi devices closer to Indian customers.
Manu Jain, head of Indian operations, said the local manufacturing shows Xiaomi’s “long haul” commitment to the Indian market.
India is a top priority in Xiaomi’s overseas expansion plan, having kicked off Indian sales less than a year ago.
Xiaomi’s overseas strategy came as China’s demand for smartphones hit the ceiling.
Smartphone shipments in China shrank in the first quarter, ending a six-year rapid growth in the sector, said consulting firm International Data Corp.
fii-news.com
