‘Make in India, Made in Andhra Pradesh’ program takes a step ahead today, as the Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu will launch Xiaomi’s first India-manufactured phone in Visakhapatnam. Xiaomi, the Chinese low cost smartphone manufacturer and also the third largest smartphone-maker in the world, will also make announcement about its expansion plans in India in the event, an official press release said on Sunday.
As the global smartphone sales are set to take a leap from 1.5 billion in 2015 to 1.7 billion in 2017 and India to become the second largest smartphone market by 2017, after China, Xiaomi is looking forward to expand its market in the country.
Along with the state Chief Minister, Manu Jain, CEO Xiaomi India and Hugo Barra, VP Global Xiaomi will also be there at the event in Visakhapatnam today.
Earlier today a speculation encompassed the media that the Xiaomi might set up its first Indian manufacturing plant in Andhra Pradesh, after the company put up a hoarding with ‘Made in India’ logo at Visakhapatnam airport, followed by a Facebook post. However the officials from Xiaomi didn’t reply to the queries regarding the speculation. VP Xiaomi global Hugo Barra posted a picture of the hoarding on Facebook yesterday and said, “GOOD MORNING VIZAG! This is what you see as you walk out of the Visakhapatnam airport arrival terminal this weekend. We’re about to take a huge step forward here in India! Can you take a guess?”
In the past, Xiaomi has said it is exploring options for manufacturing in India. With this, the Chinese firm will join the list of other smartphone makers like Asus, Motorola and Gionee that are considering manufacturing in India, where the government is pushing its ‘Make in India’ initiative, the Times of India reported.
Xiaomi entered in the Indian market only in last year and sold one million units till the end of 2014, through e-commerce giant Flipkart and later expanded its availability with Snapdeal and Amazon early this year. Xiaomi smartphones are also being sold in offline stores like the Mobile Store and Airtel and recently tied up with Redington.
Andhra Pradesh is soon becoming a favourite with giant tech companies, as in early June Google signed a MOU with AP and Telengana government to set up its second largest campus in Hyderabad, along with Amazon’s announcement to set up its biggest non-US campus there.