Union Electronics Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told NDTV on September 30, 2026 that India will launch its first domestically designed smartphone brand by October 23, 2028. The announcement came at the NDTV World Summit 2026, where he answered a question from CEO Rahul Kanwal about why India lacks a rival to Apple or Samsung.
The minister emphasized that designing a smartphone is a complex task requiring seamless integration of radio‑frequency communication, antennas, computing, memory, camera modules, displays, and power‑management systems. He noted that each component must fit within a compact chassis while keeping weight and power consumption in check.
Three years ago, the government challenged Indian designers to create a printed circuit board (PCB) capable of supporting a smartphone’s electronics. Two companies accepted the challenge; one of them delivered a 5G‑plus phone to a major U.S. telecom provider, and the device has already been manufactured and sold.
Vaishnaw said the next step is to leverage these newly acquired design capabilities, intellectual property, and in‑house expertise to build an Indian brand. Engineers in Bangalore say the move could spur local talent and reduce dependence on foreign manufacturers, with a pilot rollout slated for early 2029.