Xiaomi Wants to Become an Indian Company, Says Company CEO Lei Jun
Xiaomi has exhibited many a times how important India is as a marketplace for the Chinese electronics manufacturer. It has set up an R&D centre in Bangalore (India), launched a warehouse and is showing interest to invest in Indian start-ups. The China’s Apple is now planning to begin local manufacturing in India and is reportedly in talks to set up a plant, as per Economic Times.
The Founder and CEO of Xiaomi Lei Jun said in a statement –
The most important market for us in 2015 is India. We want to become an Indian company. So, we want to build an R&D team, manufacture phones, set up data centre in India and invest in ecosystem companies in India.
He further disclosed the company has a team working on local manufacturing project. It is in conversation with its partners along with the government of two nations. Xiaomi wishes to make it happen as early as possible, but all this would take up to two years. The unit yet to establish in India will initially assemble the devices.
The electronics start-up which emerged in 2010 has become a customer favourite all over world. The devices offered by the firm come with considerable specifications and a reasonable price tag. It now stands neck and neck with notable electronics players like Apple, Samsung, HTC and more who are in the smartphone game since long.
Recently, the world’s third-largest smartphone producer conveyed that its goal is to become an Internet giant, not a handset dealer. It expects to reap nearly $1 billion from mobile services this year. Xiaomi aims to make Internet services e.g. smartphone games and payment app a pivotal part of its business and hopes to turn smartphone buyers into paying customers with its services.
India is on top of the company’s list to expand outside China, and the company launched Mi 4i in New Delhi. It is the cheaper version of Xiaomi Mi 4 costing Rs. 12,999 and includes an India-specific feature called Visual IVR. Xiaomi is presently the world’s most valuable technology start-up.
