Chinese mobile handset manufacturer Xiaomi is likely to soon procure licence to operate its own branded outlets in India, as part of its effort to increase its offline distribution in coming years, company’s top executive said here today.
Company’s India Head Manu Jain said Xiaomi had in March-April last year applied to the government for single brand retail licence under the category of cutting edge technology, and expects to get the licence in a few months.
“Our application is pending with the government. What we understand is that it has been approved by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, but finance ministry and others still have to clear it,” Jain, who was here to launch the company’s latest product, Redmi Note 4, said.
“We are supplying all necessary documents to the government. We are hopeful that we will get it some time soon, not 100 per cent sure of the timeframe, but hope to get it soon. We have told the government that majority of phones being sold in Indian market are being manufactured here, it is meeting the 30 per cent local sourcing norm for the licence,” he said.
Jain further said the single-brand store will be part of the company’s marketing strategy to increase offline foothold, even as it enjoys close to 30 per cent market share online, the channel through which it sells over 90 per cent of its mobile phones in the country.