Smartphone maker Motorola plans to sharpen its focus towards the premium and mid-premium users in the Indian market, targeting a 10% market share while continuing to manufacture devices through contract manufacturing partners that are availing benefits under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.
The company said recent changes in the tax framework, including discussions around GST restructuring and labour reforms, have not impacted its India business. As per figures by International Data Corporation (IDC), Motorola holds 8.3% market share as in Q3 CY25, up from 5.7% a year earlier.
In line with the global smartphone makers who are increasingly viewing India not just as a manufacturing base but also as a critical demand market, Ruben Castano, Vice President – Design and Brand, Motorola in an interaction with Fe said all smartphones sold by Motorola in India are manufactured locally.
“Everything that we sell in India is manufactured in India,” he said, adding that the company is expanding its manufacturing footprint in the country.
Motorola’s partnership with Dixon technologies
He said Motorola is scaling up production in partnership with Dixon Technologies, with capacity expansion underway at its manufacturing facilities to support growing demand. The expansion aligns with the government’s push to deepen localisation under PLI.
Motorola plans to strengthen its presence in the premium and mid-premium segments, led by the Razr foldable and Edge series smartphones which are powered by Qualcomm chipsets. The products throw light on the smart phone maker’s focus on design-led differentiation and improved user experience, as competition intensifies in higher price segments.
Motorola’s new ‘Signature’ launch lets users personalise devices through customised finishes, colours and materials, Castano said, the step forward for the legacy business.
“During Q2, Edge and Razer contributed about 35% of our total revenues, representing a 28% year-over-year growth, specifically on the Edge family. Edge in India is probably one of our most successful franchises,” Castano said.
The smartphone industry is seeing strategic paths coming up among global manufacturers. Premium-focused players such as Apple and Samsung are combining local manufacturing with a push towards higher-priced devices to tap the affluent consumers.
Chinese brands continue to rely on deeper localisation
In contrast, Chinese brands such as Xiaomi and Vivo continue to rely on deeper localisation, faster product refresh cycles, and scale-led strategies to defend volumes. Whereas, companies such as Motorola are coming forth at the intersection of local manufacturing and design-led differentiation, as competition intensifies across segments.
The executive acknowledged that the Indian smartphone market has also become increasingly competitive, with brands battling for share in the mid and premium segments amid slowing overall volume growth. Companies are relying on product differentiation, faster refresh cycles, and deeper distribution to defend and expand their positions.
The executive added that Motorola is focusing on integrating design, materials, and usability into its product strategy, adding that inputs from Indian consumers are increasingly feeding into global design decisions. He said evolving consumer expectations are shaping how brands approach product development across categories.
Motorola’s mobile handset business was carved out as Motorola Mobility in 2011 and subsequently acquired by Lenovo from Google in 2014. Since the acquisition, Motorola Mobility has operated as a wholly owned subsidiary of Lenovo, with a focus on smartphones, wearables, and connected devices.