Can Indian homegrown smartphone brands compete with global giants?
The government’s goal of establishing a homegrown smartphone brand by October 2028 sets a clear benchmark for national ambition. However, achieving market relevance against global leaders requires moving past price competition and contract assembly
Can Indian homegrown smartphone brands hope to compete with global titans such as Apple, Samsung, and Huawei? India's government has set a target of October 2028 for a domestic smartphone brand to emerge, but questions remain about whether this can realistically happen. Established players in the Indian market, including Micromax, have struggled to gain significant market share against their Chinese and global competitors.
For instance, Micromax holds a modest 7% share of the smartphone market, far behind Chinese Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) who control nearly 70% of the market. For Indian brands to stand a chance, they must overcome numerous challenges, including limited R&D capabilities, reliance on global supply chains, and the need for software innovation.
While some domestic firms like Optiemus are taking steps to invest in R&D and local value creation, analysts believe that achieving true brand independence will take at least 5-10 years. The question remains whether India will be able to create a competitive smartphone brand before the 2028 deadline.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu - Sci-Tech's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
