Google is gearing up to commence manufacturing its Pixel smartphones in India, with production slated to take place at an existing Foxconn facility located in Tamil Nadu.
Google is not only venturing into smartphone manufacturing but also diversifying its production portfolio by independently manufacturing drones within the state.
The expansion underscores Google's commitment to leveraging India as a key manufacturing hub amid the current geopolitical tensions between the West and China.
The decision to shift Pixel smartphone production to India aligns with Google's earlier announcement last year, when it unveiled plans to initiate manufacturing of Pixel smartphones in the country, debuting with the Pixel 8 model.
"India is a priority market for Pixel smartphones, and we’re committed to bringing the best of our hardware and underlying built-in software capabilities to people across the country," Google wrote in a blog post.
"We intend to start with the Pixel 8, and will partner with international and domestic manufacturers to produce Pixel smartphones locally. We expect these devices to start to roll out in 2024, joining India’s 'Make in India' initiative," it added.
Manufacturing operations are anticipated to kick off within the current calendar year, following a contractual agreement inked between Google and Foxconn.
Foxconn, renowned for its prowess in electronics manufacturing, at present operates two facilities in Tamil Nadu. One of these facilities, situated near Chennai, serves as an assembly hub for Apple's iPhones.
Google's decision to shift Pixel smartphone production to Tamil Nadu materialised following recent discussions between state officials and company executives.
A statement from the Tamil Nadu government highlights that Google officials are slated to meet with Chief Minister MK Stalin in Chennai shortly, signalling further collaboration and potential avenues for investment in the region.
Google also confirmed its current status quo in India and wrote, "Meanwhile we’ve continued to enhance the Pixel smartphone experience, and have worked especially hard to grow our Pixel service network across the nation. Thanks to our local partner – F1 Info Solutions – we now have 28 service centers in 27 cities across India, and will be expanding coverage to even more locations and cities."
Google Pixel. Image Source: Unsplash
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