Anti-China sentiment may not hit business; Xiaomi India MD tells why

Even as chorus for boycotting Chinese goods rises, Xiaomi India is hopeful that its sales may not be hit in the long term. The smartphone maker is among the Chinese companies facing backlash on social media after the recent India-China border clash. "Of course, there's a backlash on social media, a mob mentality, which we are facing. But will it impact our business? I don't think so," Xiaomi India MD Manu Kumar Jain told The Economic Times.

Xiaomi India is more Indian than many other Indian handset companies, Jain said. On average, the company sources 65 per cent of the components for its smartphones and TVs locally, Jain noted. The company has provided employment to 50,000 Indian employees, he said, adding that 100 per cent of the data of Indian users stays in the country. He also told the daily that various non-Chinese firms including a US company import all their phones from China. The India smartphone market is dominated by Chinese players.

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A recent tweet by Jain that announced the next sale date for its newly-launched Mi Notebooks was trolled on social media.

"There are a few people who are very loud, and will go bash anyone who says positive things about us and it's a good opportunity for them to be seen on TV," Jain also told the daily.

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Meanwhile, Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) recently released a list of more than 500 Chinese products to be boycotted. The list includes FMCG products, consumer durables, toys, furnishing fabrics, textiles, builder hardware, footwear, apparel, kitchen items, among others.

The government on Tuesday said that it is mandatory for sellers to enter the country of origin while registering all new products on Government e-Marketplace (GeM).

Also Read: CAIT requests celebrities to stop endorsing Chinese brands