Lava International Ltd., will start making mobile phones in India after having the component ecosystem in place, said a top official.
“Recently, we announced the setting up of mobile phone India design centre by end-2017.
“We have hired professionals, who are being sent to China for training. Post training, they will come back to set up the entire design ecosystem in India.
“As and when other component manufacturers set up component units in India, and then we will start making mobile phones here,” said Lava International Vice President and Head – Marketing & Communication, Solomon Wheeler.
SKD Kits Currently, Lava mobile phones are entirely assembled in Noida with the help of semi-knocked down kits. Chips are designed and fabricated in China along with other components.
The secondary unit at Noida will also continue to assemble mobile phones, said Mr. Wheeler.
The second assembly unit will become operational by the year-end and it will meet the country’s entire demand. The production capacity of these units will increase from 10 million units to 25 lakh per month, he said.
New units Asked about the progress of new units at Yamuna Expressway and Tirupati, he said they have earmarked an investment of Rs.2,615 crore. This will increase production capacity to 21.60 crore units per annum in the next five to eight years.
Both these facilities would become operational by the year 2018.
