Chinese handset maker Gionee ready to 'Make in India'; seeks policy clarity

Shenzhen, Dec 15: Chinese handset maker Gionee has said it intends to start manufacturing in India and is awaiting clarity in government policy on the matter before taking the plunge.

"It depends on the (government) policy, we are ready to manufacture in India," Gionee's President William Lu said here. The company, which currently manufactures 60 million units annually at its facility here, said it would be better equipped to take the decision to make in India once there is complete clarity on the policy from the Indian side.

"It depends at what stage the (Indian) government plans to facilitate manufacturing, as far as we are concerned, we are ready at every stage," Gionee India Head Arvind R Vohra said.

He added: "We have to find vendors for our produce. If the need is for an assembly line we are ready now but would rather go for deep manufacturing." With a customer base of 4.5 million, Gionee manufactured 30 million phones during the year.

This output will be ramped up to 45 million in the next year. The company, which launched its sub-brand IUNI in China last year, is in the process of registering it in India.

"IUNI will be a separate company and we are hopeful of completing the registration process by April-June 2015," Vohra said.

Meanwhile, the company plans to scale up manufacturing at its unit here from 60 million annually to about 75-80 million in next two years. "We plan to increase production by 10-15 million units every year," Lu said.

The Chinese handset maker's latest device Gionee Elife S5.1 has been recognised by Guinness Book of World Records as the slimmest smartphone in the world.

PTI