Handset makers dial down imports of components after festive surge

New Delhi: Smartphone manufacturing in India waned after the festive season with Android phones recording a substantial decline in October. Production of iPhones fell too though by a comparatively smaller margin.

Manufacturers pared imports of components used for handset assembly, which analysts said is a lead indicator of a production cut.

Dixon Technologies, a contract manufacturer for Xiaomi, Oppo, Transsion, and Motorola, cut imports by 34%, showed data from import-export tracking firm Volza. Component imports by Bhagwati Products, a supplier to Vivo and Oppo, declined by 41%, while DBG, which also supplies to Xiaomi, reduced imports by 48% last month.