India remains fertile ground for China smartphone majors

Big chunk of sales comes from the country despite legal troubles

- SURAJEET DAS GUPTA

India remains among the dominant markets for Chinese smartphone brands, despite their brush with the local authorities.

Data from Counterpoint Research highlights the robust performance of these players in India. Oppo, a key Chinese brand, expanded its global smartphone sales volume share from India—from 31 per cent in 2023 to 36 per cent by Q3 of 2024. Vivo, its sibling under the BBK Electronics umbrella, maintained a 58 per cent share from India.

Both brands have been embroiled in legal troubles in the country, including searches by the Enforcement Directorate and the Directorate of Revenue intelligence (DRI) in 2022 over allegations of tax evasion and money laundering. The situation escalated in late 2023, with the arrest of senior Vivo executives.