'Xiaomi focussed on premium products, stronger retail network and local manufacturing in India'

Smartphone major Xiaomi is focussed on expanding its line-up of premium devices and internet of things (IoT) products, strengthening offline retail network, and bolstering local manufacturing as part of efforts to continue its leadership position in the Indian market.

Speaking with PTI, Xiaomi India Head Manu Jain said the company has hit many milestones in its seven-year journey in India.

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Xiaomi entered the Indian market in 2014. It had started by selling its handsets online only and then gradually entered into offline retail as well. Its product line-up has also expanded to cover smart TVs, laptops, smart wearables and home automation products, among other categories.

Jain said the biggest priority for the company is on raising the various aspects of its smartphone business where its presence is not the strongest right now.

"Last year, we separated the Redmi and Mi brands and that is beginning to see huge results. So, Mi brand will see a more focused approach, it will offer a premium customer experience, we will also introduce a lot of really high-end IoT devices," he said.

Xiaomi had positioned the 'Mi' brand to offer more premium experiences to customers, while the Redmi brand has a more mass appeal. Currently, Xiaomi offers 'Redmi' and 'Mi' brands across five categories ? smartphones, smart TVs, power banks, earbuds and smart bands.

Jain noted that the company aims to bring more IoT products that are specific for India and customised to meet the requirements of Indian users, and that the Redmi-Mi positioning will be extended to more product categories.

Xiaomi, which has been at the top spot for the last many quarters, led the smartphone market with 26 per cent share in the March 2021 quarter, ahead of competitors like Samsung (20 per cent share) and Vivo (16 per cent), as per Counterpoint data.

Asked about the strategy that Xiaomi is adopting to ensure it continues to remain at the number one spot, Jain said any brand that builds good products at great quality and price will win from a long-term perspective.

"...Irrespective of who it is, whether it is us or some other brand...Every company sees ups and downs but till the time we continue to build great products at great quality and great price, we will continue to succeed.

"So, the question for us is, can we continue this innovation cycle. The longer we maintain this, the longer we will continue to succeed," he added.

The top executive said the company is also bullish on its smart TV business, and will bring in new models, innovate on the Patchwall, and continue efforts towards local manufacturing of its smart TVs.

"For many of our categories, we need to further expand our offline (presence), we want to double down on our offline business...We also want to push the envelope on manufacturing. The aim is to play a small but meaningful role in setting up India as a big manufacturing hub," he added.

In a statement, Xiaomi announced a partnership with Sonu Sood Foundation on its seventh anniversary in the country.

As part of the initiative, Xiaomi India will provide financial support to orphaned students across India to help complete their education till class 10.

Over the next three months, SSF will review all applications and will help the children with the enrolment and financial processes, the statement said.

"While the pandemic has impacted people adversely across the globe. However, it has also made us resilient, stronger, and much more united. The dynamics of education have changed significantly, especially for under-resourced communities," Sonu Sood said.

He added that with this initiative, the aim is to increase literacy and online education in the country.