Xiaomi’s first made-in-India phone to be launched by Andhra CM today

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will launch first made-in-India Xiaomi phone in Visakhapatnam on Monday.

Sreenivas Janyala

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will launch India’s first Xiaomi-manufactured phone in Visakhapatnam on Monday, under the Make in India, Made in Andhra Pradesh programme. The programme will also see Xiaomi making announcements about its expansion plans in India.

Following the chief minister’s visit to China earlier this year, Xiaomi, a Chinese low-cost smartphone-manufacturer, the third largest smartphone-maker in the world following Samsung and Apple has come to Visakhapatnam to launch its first made-in-India smartphone and announce its plans for the country. Xiaomi, is being rebranded as Mi.

During the program in Viaskhapatnam on Monday, Manu Jain, CEO Xiaomi India will deliver the welcome address while Hugo Barra, VP Global Xiaomi will brief the audience on the ‘Journey of Xiaomi in India.’ Amitabh Kant, Secretary DIPP, Government of India, is the Guest of Honour.

“Given that global smartphone sales are estimated to grow from 1.5 billion in 2015 to 1.7 billion by 2017 and India will become the second largest smartphone market by 2017 after China, Xiaomi is looking to expand its presence and increase its market share in the country,’’ an official said.

Ahead of Monday’s Xiaomi’s announcement on Monday, CM Naidu held a meting on Sunday with the Capital Advisory Group at his residence where he said that the world is looking towards Andhra Pradesh in building the new capital. “All world countries are looking towards Andhra Pradesh to be partners in the development of capital,” he said.

After Japan showed interest in being partners in the capital construction, various companies from China and Malaysia have also come forward to contribute to the construction of people’s capital, Naidu said. “It is an honour to be blessed with an opportunity to construct our capital,” he said.

Emphasising on making the construction of capital a participatory model, the chief minister said that the industrialists from the state too should be partners in this historical endeavor. With a slew of investments coming in for the capital region, Naidu stressed on making the processes hassle-free for companies for the setting up of their industries. Naidu also mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mentioned to him about the infrastructural marvels of Astana and Asghabat, capital cities of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, respectively.

The Prime Minister also suggested Naidu to send a delegation to these cities in order to study them and incorporate some of the best practices, he said. The Chief Minister added that the construction of capital city will pick up pace after laying the foundation stone on October 22 this year. “Amaravati will be developed as a port-based capital between two industrial townships, home to economic activity” he said.