At Google for India 2023 event in New Delhi, Alphabet Inc's Google has declared India as a priority market and revealed its intention to manufacture the flagship Pixel line-up of phones in the country. Google's Head of Devices & Services, Rick Osterloh, announced the company's plan to commence the production of the Pixel 8 in India, with the devices set to hit the market in 2024, as part of the Make in India initiative.
In May, India's Technology Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, held discussions with Google's CEO Sundar Pichai at the company's headquarters in Mountain View, California. Their conversation primarily revolved around Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative to promote local manufacturing and the government-supported drive for technological advancements.
A recent report by Counterpoint Research highlighted India's emergence as the second-largest manufacturing hub for mobile phones, owing to substantial investments from original equipment manufacturers, original design manufacturers, and companies specialising in components and parts. According to Counterpoint Research, India is expected to export approximately 22% of its total assembled mobile phones in 2023.
Government and industry data also revealed that the 'Make in India' initiative received a significant boost, with mobile phone exports valued at over $5.5 billion (or more than Rs 45,000 crore) in the April-August period of the ongoing fiscal year (FY24).
Furthermore, it is anticipated that India will surpass Rs 1,20,000 crore in mobile phone exports during the current fiscal year, with Apple holding a dominant market share of over 50% in FY24.
This decision by Google follows the footsteps of Apple, which has utilised a similar approach to bolster its network of suppliers in India. Apple's participation in this program has led to a significant increase in iPhone production, surpassing $7 billion during the fiscal year ending in March 2023.
Apple has successfully harnessed the benefits of local manufacturing and supplier networks in India. This move by Google aligns with the broader trend of major tech companies leveraging India's manufacturing capabilities to expand their operations.
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