Finland-based HMD Global — which sells the Nokia brand of phones – has started talks with Foxconn to manufacture its own components in India, IANS reported.
ALSO READ: Xiaomi opens three new smartphone manufacturing plants in India
HMD Global has sold 70 million Nokia phones globally. HMD Global says it has grown its phone business nearly 5 times in the past eight months in India. Nokia is ranked 5 in the feature phone market with 6 percent share as of December 2017, according to Counterpoint Research.
“We are following the phased manufacturing program. We have started having conversations with our partner Foxconn to manufacture our own components in the country,” Ajey Mehta, country head – India, HMD Global.
India government has imposed a 10 percent duty on import of key phone components such as camera module and printed circuit board assembly as part of the strategy to boost domestic manufacturing.
The company said it will also work with Foxconn to set up surface-mount technology lines. Surface-mount technology (SMT) is a method for producing electronic circuits in which the components are mounted or placed directly on to the surface of printed circuit boards (PCBs).
HMD Global got the licence in 2016 to sell Nokia-branded devices for the next 10 years and displayed its first line-up last year. HMD Global is also mulling about expanding its portfolio to enter all price segments in India.
HMD Global has recently launched its Nokia 8 Sirocco, along with two other mid-segment devices — the Nokia 6 and Nokia 7 Plus — that run Android One, the unmodified Android operating system (OS).
HMD Global has launched Nokia Mobile Shop – its own online shop for all Nokia handsets and accessories in India.
“We are truly running a worldwide business now. We are serious about consumers in India, including those using feature phones,” said Pekka Rantala, chief marketing officer, HMD Global.
