 "Huawei to manufacture smartphones with Flex October onwards")
Joining the Make in India bandwagon, Chinese technology major Huawei announced on September 23 that it would collaborate with the leading sketch-to-scale solutions provider Flex to manufacture smartphones in the country.
Starting from the first week of October, the Flex plant in Chennai will manufacture one of the Honour smartphone models from Huawei. The plant will have the capacity to produce three million units by the end of 2017.
"As India is set to become the second largest smartphone market, our government would like to invite even more businesses to come and manufacture in the country," said Information Technology and Electronics Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at an event here.
The company will strengthen its hold by opening over 200 service centres including its 30 exculsive centres across the country.
Huawei Consumer Business Group will also expand its distribution network by partnering with more than 50,000 retail outlets by the end of this year.
Prasad further believed that given India's growing smatphone landscape, such initiatives by market leaders in the technology sector will help boosting the country's local manufacturing in the country, which is a commitment that the collaborating Flex Telecom company hoped was re-affirmed by the alliance.
"Our alliance with Huawei in India is a testament of our commitment towards boosting local manufacturing," added Jeff Reece, Head of Flex Telecom segment.
Meanwhile Huawei India, that has been expanding its footprint in the market with a renewed focus on two brands- Huawei and Honour- was convinced about the company's growth potential and future in India, adding that it was eager to look for more opportunities for market expansion.