Vivo-Dixon JV Approved: India's Smartphone Manufacturing Enters New Phase
Original: After Apple, India’s smartphone manufacturing boom enters new phase with Vivo JV
Why This Matters
The Dixon-Vivo JV model could set a replicable template for Chinese brands to scale India manufacturing under local-majority partnerships.
India approved a 51/49 joint venture between Dixon Technologies and China's Vivo on July 9, 2026. The deal, first announced in December 2024, allows Vivo to expand manufacturing in India under rules requiring extra scrutiny of Chinese investment, reflecting a new model for Chinese brands operating in the country.
India has approved a joint venture between Noida-based Dixon Technologies (51%) and China's Vivo (49%), marking a significant step in the country's smartphone manufacturing expansion beyond Apple. The partnership, first announced in December 2024, was delayed pending clearance under 2020 investment rules requiring heightened government scrutiny of investments from countries sharing a land border with India, including China.
Under the agreement, the JV will acquire certain manufacturing assets from Vivo, produce a portion of Vivo's smartphone orders in India, and may also manufacture electronic products for other brands, according to a Dixon stock exchange filing.
Apple currently accounts for 57% of India's smartphone exports by volume, per Counterpoint Research, while Chinese brands—including Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi—hold 72% of India's domestic smartphone market but contribute less than 10% of exports. This gap highlights the potential upside if Chinese brands begin exporting at scale from India.
Several Chinese smartphone companies have faced tax and regulatory investigations in India in recent years. Analysts at Counterpoint Research note that ceding majority control to an Indian partner now represents a more sustainable path. Research Director Tarun Pathak described the Dixon-Vivo structure as potentially a template for similar arrangements across the industry, broadening India's manufacturing story beyond Apple.