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Nokia-maker HMD Global aims to make components in India

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By Krishna SinhaChaudhury
New Delhi, April 8 (IANS) Eyeing aggressive growth in India, Finnish company HMD Global — which sells the iconic Nokia brand of phones — is working hard towards manufacturing its own components in the country, a top company executive has emphasised.

The company, which has sold 70 million Nokia devices globally, has grown its business nearly five times in the past eight months in India.

According to Counterpoint Research, Nokia was at fifth spot in the feature phones market with six per cent share (as of December 2017).

“We are following the phased manufacturing programme. In line with this, we have started having conversations with our partner Foxconn to manufacture our own components in the country,” Ajey Mehta, Vice President and Country Head-India, HMD Global, told IANS in an interview.

“It will happen over a period of time. We may be a little behind, but it will eventually happen and the components that attract import duty will be manufactured here,” Mehta added.

With an aim to boost domestic manufacturing, the government has imposed a 10 per cent duty on import of key components such as camera module and printed circuit board assembly.

The company said it will also work with Foxconn to set up surface-mount technology lines.

Surface-mount technology (SMT) is a method for producing electronic circuits in which the components are mounted or placed directly on to the surface of printed circuit boards (PCBs).

“It will take some time, but we will do that for sure,” Mehta told IANS.

HMD Global got the licence in 2016 to sell Nokia-branded devices for the next 10 years and displayed its first line-up last year.

HMD Global is also mulling about expanding its portfolio to enter all price segments in India.

To create ripples in the Indian premium smartphone market, the Finnish company just launched its flagship Nokia 8 Sirocco, along with two other mid-segment devices — the Nokia 6 and Nokia 7 Plus — that run Android One, the unmodified Android operating system (OS).

“We put our best foot forward with Nokia 8 Sirocco. It is made out of steel, is 95 per cent glass and is a performance-packed device in a compact design. We are confident about it,” the top executive noted.

Highlighting the importance of feature phones, Mehta said: “The end game is to be a full-range player. Feature phones are also a big opportunity. We will continue to invest in feature phones and refresh some of them over a period of time”.

The competitive landscape has changed significantly in the last one year with the rise of brands such as Reliance Jio, Nokia HMD and itel in the feature phone segment.

Last year, HMD Global worked on “building the blocks” in India and, this year, it is looking for collaborations (such as a tie-up with IPL cricket team KKR) to enhance the value of the brand in the country.

HMD Global has also launched Nokia “Mobile Shop” — its own online shop for all Nokia handsets and accessories in India.

“We are truly running a worldwide business now. We are serious about consumers in India, including those using feature phones,” said Pekka Rantala, Chief Marketing Officer, HMD Global.

(Krishna SinhaChaudhury can be contacted at [email protected])

–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma

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World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.

Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.

During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.

On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”

Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.

Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.

Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”

On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”

The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.

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