Google follows Apple's footsteps, plans to manufacture smartphones in India

Google is reportedly considering making Pixel smartphones in India as part of its plan to expand production and enter the Indian market.

This decision follows a meeting between India's IT Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google's parent company, Alphabet, at Google's headquarters in California, USA.

Bloomberg reports that Google is interested in Indian production due to the production-linked incentives (PLI) provided by India to global tech giants for smartphone manufacturing.

This move would allow Google to diversify its manufacturing beyond China, a strategy similar to Apple's goal of shifting 18% of worldwide iPhone production to India by 2025, as per the report.

Google is in talks with Foxconn's Indian unit, Bharat FIH, along with local manufacturers like Lava International and Dixon Technologies India, to potentially produce Pixel phones in India.

Google representatives, including Ana Corrales, the operating chief of their consumer hardware division, and Maggie Wei, a senior director of global product operations, have visited India to start these discussions.

India is strategically important to Google, especially for its services.

Nonetheless, Google is working to improve smartphone availability, as seen with the recent introduction of the Pixel 7a in India.

India has been actively promoting the "Made-in-India" initiative, attracting Chinese smartphone manufacturers to set up factories in different Indian cities.

Recent reports indicate a significant 128% growth in mobile phone exports from India, largely driven by iPhone exports during April and May this year.