Ashwini Vaishnaw sets October 2028 deadline for smartphones designed, made and branded in India: What he said | Today’s news
India could have its own smartphone brand with domestic design, manufacturing and intellectual property by October 2028, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at the NDTV World Summit in Delhi on October 23, 2026.
The proposed timeline comes at a time when India is trying to strengthen its position in the global electronics supply chain. While the country has expanded smartphone production, developing the technology and intellectual property behind a competitive phone remains a significant challenge.
Ashwini Vaishnaw has set a target of October 2028
“This is October 23, 2026. Please note: October 23, 2028. You will have Indian designed, made in India mobile phones,” the minister told NDTV.
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Designing a smartphone requires more than just assembling components. The device must integrate radio frequency communications, antennas, computing hardware, memory, cameras, displays, and power management systems into a compact body. Battery power, weight and connectivity add to the technical challenge.
Vaishnaw said India has been building the required capabilities over several years, including initiatives to develop domestic smartphone hardware.
India has developed smartphone motherboard design capabilities, says minister
Vaishnaw said the government had invited domestic designers to develop a printed circuit board (PCB) for a mobile phone a few years ago. The PCB connects and supports the electronic components that enable the device to function.
According to the minister, two companies took up the challenge and one developed a proposal, which was subsequently selected by a major American telecommunications service provider.
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He said the company designed and supplied a 5G-plus mobile phone to a US carrier, with the device manufactured and delivered to customers. Vaishnaw said the experience gained over about three-and-a-half years will help India develop a home-brand phone while keeping its design and intellectual property in-country.
However, he did not identify the proposed brand or reveal the phone’s price, specifications or specific launch date.
Why the Indian smartphone brand matters
India is a major manufacturing base for smartphones sold by international companies. However, local manufacturing of devices is different from owning the technology, intellectual property and brand behind them.
A successful domestic smartphone could help Indian companies expand their expertise in product design, hardware engineering and intellectual property while creating opportunities for domestic suppliers.
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The challenge will be to compete with established brands like Apple and Samsung, which have extensive distribution networks, product ecosystems and loyal customers. Price, performance, reliability and software support will be key to attracting buyers.
Vaishnaw expressed confidence that the proposed phone could become a major seller. However, the October 2028 target remains an ambition rather than a guarantee of commercial success.
Vaishnaw highlights the growth of electronics exports
The minister also appreciated the government’s Make in India initiative, which was launched in 2014 and helped expand domestic manufacturing. He criticized the previous Congress-led governments and argued that excessive regulation had hampered the sector.
Vaishnaw pointed to the production of mobile phones, drones, rockets, trains and other advanced equipment as evidence of progress. Electronics, he said, has become India’s third largest export category and expects it to rise to second place in the near future.
The proposed smartphone brand would test whether India can shift from making devices for global companies to developing and selling products under its own name. For consumers, its eventual success will depend on the phone’s price, features, quality and availability.
