OnePlus says committed to 'Make in India' amid anti-China sentiments

Despite a surge in anti-China sentiment in the country, a top executive of smartphone brand OnePlus said on Friday that the company has commenced manufacturing TVs in India and remains committed to achieving long-term growth as it seeks to integrate and delve deeper into the Make in India strategy.

The company on Thursday launched OnePlus TV U Series and Y Series packed with smart features which will enable users to pair with up to five devices at the same time.

The premium handset maker also announced this week that its first smartphone in the affordable segment, OnePlus Nord, will be initially launched in India and Europe.

"India continues to be a key market for OnePlus since our entry in 2014 and we are committed towards our focus in the region. Over the years, we have worked hard to strengthen our manufacturing capabilities in line with the 'Make in India' initiative," Navnit Nakra, Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, OnePlus India, told IANS in an email interview.

OnePlus has been manufacturing its devices in India since February 2018.

"We have also commenced the manufacturing of the OnePlus TVs in India. Additionally, we launched our India R&D centre (in Hyderabad) last year and committed an investment of Rs 1,000 crore over the next three years," Nakra said.

"With our R&D centre, OnePlus is committed to achieving long-term growth in India and seeks to integrate and delve deeper into the 'Make in India' strategy," he said.

The R&D centre primarily houses three labs -- camera lab, communications and networking labs, and automation labs.

"In line with this, our team focuses towards developing future technologies of camera, automation, networking and connectivity, which also includes special focus on 5G developments and performance testing effort," Nakra said.

"India is a key market for OnePlus, and we are consistently working towards strengthening our presence in the region and creating products that cater to the evolving needs of our community," he added.

OnePlus said that its business has seen "active growth" in India from a retail perspective, further penetrating tier-2 markets and beyond.

"We now have over 5,000 offline stores including partnered stores across India with plans to scale up to 8000+ stores," Nakra noted.

"These initiatives stand testament to our sincere commitment. We will continue in our endeavor towards building an accessible connected ecosystem in India that delivers a premium experience".

Several companies that originated in China have invested heavily in the "Make in India" initiative.

But anti-China sentiment grew in the country following the death of 20 Indian soldiers in an attack in Ladakh by Chinese People's Liberation Army last month.

The Indian government this week banned 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, WeChat and UC Browser and Xiaomi's Mi Community over national security concerns.