A consortium of Chinese mobile makers are planning a quiet entry into India with the help of a start-up, which would set up over 200 sales and service centres for nearly 50 different manufacturers.
The start-up, a company called AndroidGuruz, plans to set up sales and experience zones, giving the Chinese companies a foothold into the Indian market.
“The Government has already given FDI clearance or is in the process of granting clearance to these 40-45 brands which are in the mobile phone business. We are looking to give the consortium, which is made up of these brands, a support network,” said Vivek Despande, Asia Support Manager of AndroidGuruz.
The Shenzen-based consortium wants a franchisee network in the country, which will comprise brands such as Zopo, UMI, JiaYu and Mogu.
The first such store will open in New Delhi over the next three months, with more in Bangalore and Mumbai to follow by the end of the year.
According to Mr. Despande, while the companies would initially sell Android-based phones, it could serve as a prelude to offering tablets and other such devices.
India battleground
The smartphone battleground in India has received tough Chinese competition over the last one year, with established brands such as Huawei and Lenovo managing to make slow inroads into the market. Huawei, in fact, plans to set up nearly 250 experience centres by the end of 2013.
Three months ago, Chinese firm Konka announced its entry into India with an investment of $30 million.
