Xiaomi Strengthens Indian Manufacturing Presence

For three years, Xiaomi of China held the leading position in the Indian smartphone market. However, Samsung has recently overtaken them. The company has proactively adhered to Indian governmental regulations, prioritizing domestic smartphone manufacturing within India rather than importing finished products from China.

Now, Xiaomi is further expanding its Indian production capabilities. They are integrating two additional supply chain partners – BYD and DBG – as announced by the company on Thursday.

Increased Government Scrutiny

This strategic move occurs amidst escalating pressure from the Indian government on Chinese technology companies. Following national security concerns, India banned numerous popular Chinese applications last June, including TikTok.

While hardware manufacturers have largely remained unaffected thus far, the deteriorating relationship between India and China presents potential challenges for Chinese companies seeking to attract Indian consumers.

Market Share and Economic Contributions

In the third quarter of 2020, Xiaomi, alongside its Chinese competitors Vivo, Oppo, and Realme (affiliated with Oppo), collectively controlled a substantial 64% of the Indian smartphone market.

This period represents a crucial opportunity for Chinese firms to demonstrate their potential contributions to the Indian economy. The new production partnerships will enable Xiaomi to significantly increase its output within India.

Global Manufacturing Trends

The collaboration with BYD and DBG also highlights a broader trend of Chinese manufacturers establishing overseas production facilities. This is driven by rising labor costs in China and increasingly unfavorable trade policies targeting the country.

BYD, a leading Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, possesses extensive experience in electronics component production. DBG has been a key supplier to major Chinese telecom companies, including Huawei.

DBG’s production plant in Haryana has already boosted Xiaomi’s local production by approximately 20%. BYD’s facility in Tamil Nadu is expected to commence operations in the first half of this year.

Existing Manufacturing Partnerships

Before partnering with BYD and DBG, Xiaomi already manufactured 99% of its smartphones in India. This was achieved through collaborations with established contract manufacturers: Taiwanese firm Foxconn and California-based Flex, both long-term partners of Apple.

Local Sourcing is also a key component of Xiaomi’s strategy.

The company sources components like motherboards, batteries, and chargers from domestic suppliers such as Sunny India and NVT. These local suppliers account for over 75% of the total value of Xiaomi’s smartphones.

Expanding into Smart TVs

In a separate development, Xiaomi has onboarded Radiant Technology, a company based in Ohio, to manufacture its smart TVs, which have proven to be bestsellers in India.

Currently, local electronics manufacturer Dixon handles the production of Xiaomi’s smart TVs.

Growth and Employment

Xiaomi’s commitment to localization has resulted in a workforce of 60,000 employees in India, just six years after its initial entry into the market. This includes personnel involved in production, sales, and logistics.

The company emphasizes its role in creating local employment opportunities. Manu Kumar Jain, Managing Director of Xiaomi India, highlighted that the company added 10,000 employees in India last year. He stated that while other organizations were reducing their workforce, Xiaomi was focused on building the foundation for its growth in the Indian market.