NEW DELHI – Motorola, owned by Lenovo, is aggressively pursuing a 10% share of the Indian smartphone market by March 2026. The company also aims to become one of the top three smartphone brands in the country. This ambitious goal comes as Motorola plans to significantly increase local manufacturing, boost exports, and expand its retail presence across India.
Rapid Growth and Strategic Push
Motorola has shown strong growth in India recently. The brand's market share reached 8.3% as of January 2026, according to IDC. This marks a substantial increase from its 2.7% share reported by Counterpoint Research in December 2023. Motorola’s business in India more than doubled in terms of device sales in 2023, even as the overall smartphone market saw a decline. The company aims to double its sales volumes in India in 2024 and then quadruple them by 2026.[indianexpress+5]
Prashanth Mani, Executive Director for Asia Pacific at Motorola, emphasized the importance of the Indian market. "We have moved into the phase of accelerating our business globally with the target to become the third largest smartphone brand globally in the next 8-12 quarters. Naturally, to do that, we have to be number 3 in India as well," Mani told ET in April 2024. Headded that the company aimed to double its 5% share from 2023 to reach 8-10%.[youtube+3]
Focus on Premiumization and 5G
Motorola's strategy heavily relies on offering premium and 5G-enabled smartphones. Devices from its premium Edge and Razr series now contribute 46% of India's revenues, a significant jump from 22% in 2022. The company is also committed to delivering devices that support all 5G bands, with prices ranging from ₹6,999 to ₹82,999, including its flagship foldable phones.[m]
Shivam Ranjan, Head of Marketing at Motorola APAC, highlighted the brand's approach. "We're not here to just shout. We're here to deliver value, real and usable value," Ranjan said in April 2025. He noted that Motorola focuses on creating "well-rounded" devices, balancing hardware specifications with "lifestyle tech" experiences. This includes an emphasis on design, software experiences, and integrating AI as a "ubiquitous layer" across the device experience.[youtube+3]
Boosting Local Manufacturing and Exports
To support its growth, Motorola is significantly increasing its local manufacturing capabilities. The company produces all its phones for the Indian market domestically through a partnership with Padget Electronics. India is also becoming a key export hub for Motorola, shipping devices to countries like the US, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Motorola expects to double its exports year-on-year from India. This aligns with India's broader goal of boosting domestic electronics manufacturing, with the sector projected to reach an estimated $300 billion by 2026.[youtube+5]
Motorola is also investing in research and development within India. It is establishing its second camera lab outside the United States in Bengaluru. This investment underscores the company's commitment to innovation tailored for the Indian and global markets.[zeenews+2]
Expanding Offline Presence
While historically an online-first brand, Motorola recognizes the need for a stronger offline presence to reach its market share goals. Sergio Buniac, President of Motorola Mobility, stated in July 2023 that the company would "aggressively expand its offline presence". Motorola plans to be available in over 3,000 stores within a year and 5,000 stores in 15 months from that time. This expansion aims to give consumers more opportunities to experience their products firsthand, which is crucial for premium device sales.[livemint+1]
Prashanth Mani explained this balanced approach. "At the core, we are still an online-first brand and Flipkart plays a critical role and we have done incredibly well with them. But we also at the same time believe there needs to be experiences in the right number of stores for people to try out the product," Mani said.[m]
Competitive Landscape and Future Outlook
The Indian smartphone market is highly competitive, with Chinese brands holding nearly 70% of the share. As of December 2023, Samsung, Vivo, and Xiaomi were the top three players with 18%, 17%, and 16.5% market shares, respectively. The premium segment, for phones priced above ₹30,000, is primarily led by Apple, Samsung, and OnePlus.[livemint+2]
Lookingahead to 2026, the Indian smartphone market is expected to face challenges, with a potential mid-single-digit decline due to rising device prices and cautious consumer spending. Brands will increasingly focus on cost control and retail execution. Despite these challenges, Motorola's robust strategy, focusing on a full range of products from affordable to premium, local manufacturing, and enhanced retail presence, positions it for continued growth. The company aims to differentiate itself through design, software experiences, and AI-enabled features to appeal to a broad consumer base.[youtube+5]
Motorola's consistent growth and strategic investments signal its determination to secure a significant position in India's dynamic smartphone market.[devicenext]
