India’s Hardware Game: We’re still playing against the Minions

India wants to be the next big thing in tech manufacturing, but let’s be real - we’re mostly assembling, not really ‘creating’ yet. Think of it as making a gourmet burger but still importing the buns, cheese, and secret sauce. Sure, Nothing’s Chennai factory employing 500+ people (95% of them women - a big win for workforce diversity!) is fantastic, but when do we move up the value chain and start designing chips, fabricating semiconductors, and building our own OLEDs?

Right now, India is at the ‘We assemble, therefore we are’ stage. But for true global domination, we need to be at ‘We invent, design, and build.’ Big difference.

The India Market: Growing, But Still Price Sensitive

Nothing’s 577% year-over-year growth in India? Insane numbers. But also, not shocking. India is a goldmine for smartphone brands - a massive population, increasing smartphone penetration, and a whole bunch of people who love a good deal.

However, local production doesn’t always mean cheaper phones. Import duties get slashed, and logistics become simpler, but the real kicker? Key components - processors, displays, batteries - still come from China, Taiwan, and South Korea. Until India figures out how to make those at scale, ‘Made in India’ won’t necessarily translate to ‘Cheaper in India.’

India’s Role in the Global Smartphone and Gadgets Arena

Apple has been shifting production here, and now Nothing is jumping on board. That’s a sign of faith in India’s workforce and infrastructure. And now we’re ready to dream bigger - when will we see India designing and fabricating world-class chipsets? That’s the real prize. Right now, we’re a solid substitute for China in the ‘assembled in’ category, but can we be the next Silicon Valley of smartphone innovation?

Government spending in this direction is a positive sign, PM Narendra Modi approved Semicon India in Dec 2021 with ₹76,000 crore, with an ambition to build India’s own semiconductor and display ecosystem - because self-reliance is the real endgame. The first chip is set to launch in September 2025. 

Smaller shops and upstarts are doing the same. I recently met Akshar Vastarpara, the founder of Vicharak who is creating and manufacturing FPGA Chips from Surat in Gujarat, famously known as the diamond capital of India. I find that amusing and quite amazing.

Final Verdict: Cool Move, we’re gearing up for the Boss Fight

Nothing’s move is fantastic for job creation and market confidence, but we can’t stop here. India needs to stop being just the factory and start being the lab where the world’s next-gen tech is born. More semiconductor fabs, more local component manufacturing, and - dare we say - a fully ‘Designed and Built in India’ flagship smartphone.

That’s the day we’ll have something to brag about. Until then, great job, Nothing! But India’s tech ambitions? We’re just getting started.