Handset maker Spice Mobiles today said it will start a manufacturing unit for mobile devices in the country by next year with an initial investment of Rs 100 crore.
"We already have a facility in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh where we manufacture other devices. We will extend the existing facility and start manufacturing mobile handsets from March 2010. Initially, the company has earmarked an investment of Rs 100 crore for the purpose," Spice Mobiles National Marketing Head Payal Gaba told PTI.
The B K Modi Group-owned company, is looking at manufacturing 2 million units a month once the facility starts operation in March.
The company which claims to be the third-largest handset maker in India after Nokia and Samsung, is currently, manufacturing the devices in China.
As the Indian mobile market expands, most of the handset makers are seeing a business case in manufacturing the handsets locally.
Nokia, which is a leader in Indian market, has its handset manufacturing factory at Chennai.
Besides, manufacturing, Spice Mobiles which is credited for making dual SIM mobile phones popular, is planning to sell mobile handsets in developing markets of Africa and Asia in a bid to replicate its growth story in India.