The Electronics and Information Technology Minister, Ashwini Vaishnav, recently highlighted a significant reduction in India’s reliance on imported mobile phones. In 2014, the country was 78% import-dependent for mobile phones, a figure that has dramatically decreased over the last nine years. Vaishnav shared this progress on X (formerly Twitter) following a review meeting on mobile production, stating that by 2023, an impressive 99.2% of phones sold in India will bear the ‘Made in India’ label.
During the July-September quarter, the nation saw the sale of 4.3 crore smartphones. Canalys, a market research firm, reported that Samsung led the market with an 18% share, selling 79 lakh smartphones. Xiaomi followed closely with 76 lakh wholesale sales, securing the second position, while Vivo, Realme, and Oppo held the third, fourth, and fifth places, respectively.
The introduction of new 5G smartphones by mobile companies in the last quarter aimed at expanding their market share led to a surge in demand for entry-level 5G devices. Additionally, the premium smartphone segment experienced notable growth, attributed to promotions on Samsung’s S23 series and Apple’s iPhone 14 and iPhone 13. Notably, major international players such as Samsung, Xiaomi, Apple, Oppo, Vivo, Realme, and OnePlus are actively manufacturing smartphones within India. Google recently joined the list, announcing the production of Pixel phones in the country, starting with the Pixel 8, from 2024. This move aligns with Google’s commitment to the ‘Make in India’ initiative, contributing to the local demand for Pixel devices.
