Optiemus Unmanned Systems Unveils Advanced Drones, Partners with Taiwan’s Avix for ‘Make in India’ Tech Drive
Optiemus Unmanned Systems (OUS), a subsidiary of Optiemus Infracom, has announced the launch of four cutting-edge drones at the Milipol India Exhibition 2025, held at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in New Delhi. The lineup includes the Marak VT100, Vajra QC55, a Canister Launched Loitering Munition, and First Person View (FPV) drones featuring optical fiber cable-based navigation. These state-of-the-art aerial systems are designed for critical defense, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, highlighting India’s growing capabilities in the unmanned systems sector.
In a strategic move aligning with the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, OUS has partnered with Taiwan-based Avix Technology to co-develop and manufacture advanced drone components in India. The collaboration focuses on high-performance camera systems, gimbals, and UAV electronics, leveraging Avix’s proven expertise in drone engineering. For non-Indian companies, this partnership underscores India’s emergence as a global manufacturing and innovation hub for defense technologies—offering opportunities for cross-border collaboration, component sourcing, and localized production in one of the world’s fastest-growing UAV markets.
Editor’s Note: Optiemus Unmanned Systems (OUS) unveiled four advanced drones, including the Marak VT100 and Vajra QC55, at Milipol India 2025, in collaboration with Taiwan’s Avix Technology for cutting-edge camera systems and UAV electronics. The drones are designed for defense, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. This partnership aligns with India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, positioning the country as a key hub for global UAV manufacturing and innovation.
Alphabet Eyes India as Key Pixel Production Hub Amid Rising Tariff Pressures
Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google, is accelerating its plans to shift Pixel smartphone production to India, driven by geopolitical shifts and looming tariff hikes on imports from Vietnam. According to The Economic Times, Alphabet has initiated talks with local manufacturing partners Dixon Technologies and Foxconn to reroute a portion of Pixel phone production for the U.S. market from Vietnam to India. While Vietnam has been a primary production base, anticipated U.S. tariffs of up to 46% have pushed Alphabet to consider India, where the comparative tariff rate is 26%. Foxconn and Dixon currently manufacture 43,000–45,000 Pixel units per month in India for domestic use, with Dixon producing up to 70% of the country’s Pixel output, including the latest models.
Alphabet is also working to localize key components—such as fingerprint sensors, batteries, and enclosures—to reduce import dependence and enhance cost-efficiency. Originally intended as a long-term strategy, India’s role in global Pixel production is being fast-tracked in light of shifting trade dynamics and a 10% base tariff that still affects most imports. For non-Indian companies, Alphabet’s pivot highlights India’s growing appeal as a stable, scalable alternative to China and Vietnam in electronics manufacturing. The move also signals new opportunities for global component suppliers, contract manufacturers, and technology partners to integrate into India’s expanding electronics supply chain.
Editor’s Note: Alphabet Inc. is accelerating plans to shift Pixel smartphone production to India, driven by rising U.S. tariffs on imports from Vietnam and has begun talks with Indian partners Dixon Technologies and Foxconn—whose parent company is based in Taiwan. Currently, 43,000–45,000 Pixel units are made monthly in India for domestic use, with efforts underway to localize key components like batteries and fingerprint sensors. This strategic pivot highlights India’s growing appeal as a cost-efficient, scalable alternative in global electronics manufacturing, creating fresh opportunities for international component suppliers and tech partners.
Samsung Seeks PLI Extension as It Weighs Shifting Production from Vietnam to India
Samsung has requested a one-year extension under India’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for smartphones after missing eligibility for incentives during one of the five scheme years, officials familiar with the matter said. The South Korean tech giant’s current PLI tenure, which began in FY21, ended on March 31, 2025. Samsung reportedly fell short of production targets in the second year, forfeiting incentives for that period. With ₹3,200 crore in incentives expected for the remaining four years, the company is now lobbying for an extension to recover the missed benefits and complete a full five-year incentive cycle. An official confirmed that Samsung wanted to receive incentives for five years and that the matter was being examined, with a decision to be made accordingly.
Samsung is simultaneously reviewing options to shift part of its smartphone production from Vietnam to India amid global trade realignments and U.S.-led tariff pressures. The company is also evaluating the fiscal advantages available under India’s current incentive frameworks. For non-Indian companies, Samsung’s move underscores the growing importance of India as a manufacturing base amid global supply chain diversification. It also signals that governments and multinationals are increasingly aligned on making India a strategic alternative to traditional manufacturing powerhouses in Asia.
Editor’s Note: Samsung has requested a one-year extension under India’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme after missing eligibility in one of the five scheme years, aiming to recover missed benefits and complete a full incentive cycle. The company is also considering shifting part of its smartphone production from Vietnam to India, driven by global trade shifts and tariff pressures.
Microsoft and IIT Delhi Launch Unnati AI Accelerator to Empower Rural Innovators
Microsoft, in collaboration with the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT) at IIT Delhi, has launched the Unnati AI Accelerator—a landmark corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative focused on advancing AI-driven social impact in India’s Tier-II and Tier-III towns. Targeting critical sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, and sustainability, the program offers startups, students, and developers funding, mentorship, infrastructure, and market access. The initiative also emphasizes building AI agents, developing datasets, and nurturing rural AI talent, with the aim of driving inclusive growth and positioning smaller Indian towns as contributors to the global AI economy. Applications are now open via unnatiai.fitt-iitd.in, with a structured accelerator featuring bootcamps, expert guidance, and demo days.
Backed by government support and aligned with India’s National AI Mission, Unnati comes at a time when the country stands poised to add up to $1.5 trillion to its GDP through AI by 2030, according to EY’s The AIdea of India report. For non-Indian companies, the accelerator presents a strategic opportunity to partner with or invest in a growing base of grassroots AI innovators working on scalable, high-impact solutions. It also signals India’s intent to emerge as a globally competitive AI ecosystem—one that values inclusion, sustainability, and innovation from the ground up.
Editor’s Note: Microsoft, in partnership with IIT Delhi’s FITT, has launched the Unnati AI Accelerator to foster AI-driven innovation in India’s Tier-II and Tier-III towns, focusing on sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and education. The program offers funding, mentorship, and infrastructure to empower rural AI talent, creating new opportunities for global players to engage with India’s growing AI ecosystem and contribute to high-impact, scalable solutions.
India Signals Flexibility on EV Policy Pending Final Import Tariff Decisions
India is open to revising its electric vehicle (EV) policy—officially known as the Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Electric Passenger Cars in India (SPMEPCI)—depending on the final customs duties agreed under an upcoming bilateral trade agreement (BTA). Government sources told Businessline that while the policy, announced on March 15, 2024, aims to attract global EV manufacturers, its operational guidelines are still being finalized. A senior official noted, “Whatever scheme is made… the government can always revise or change it,” highlighting that the scheme remains adaptable until tariff structures are clarified.
The policy’s implementation hinges on the import duty framework, which is still under negotiation. India’s willingness to alter the SPMEPCI signals a strategic approach to balancing trade commitments with its ambition to become an EV manufacturing hub. For non-Indian companies, this evolving framework offers both opportunity and caution—offering a potential entry point into India’s fast-growing EV market, while requiring careful monitoring of trade negotiations and tariff finalizations that will shape market accessibility and investment viability.
Editor’s Note: India is open to revising its electric vehicle (EV) policy, the Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Electric Passenger Cars in India (SPMEPCI), depending on the final customs duties set in an upcoming bilateral trade agreement. The policy’s implementation will be influenced by ongoing tariff negotiations, highlighting India’s flexible approach to attracting global EV manufacturers. For foreign EV companies this presents both a potential entry into India’s expanding market and a need to closely track tariff decisions that will impact market access and investment prospects.
Flipkart to Redomicile to India Ahead of Landmark IPO, Signals Growing Investor Confidence
Bengaluru, May 4, 2025 — E-commerce giant Flipkart has announced plans to shift its holding company from Singapore to India, a strategic move that paves the way for its much-anticipated initial public offering (IPO) within the next 12 to 18 months. The redomiciling aligns Flipkart’s corporate structure with its operational base, driven by India’s booming economy, ongoing digital transformation, and an increasingly supportive regulatory environment. With a current valuation of $36 billion, Flipkart’s IPO is expected to break records in India’s capital markets, potentially surpassing Hyundai’s $19 billion listing. This follows in the footsteps of PhonePe, Razorpay, and Zepto—part of a broader trend of Indian startups returning home to tap domestic capital markets more effectively.
Walmart, which owns 85% of Flipkart after a recent $3.5 billion investment, continues to play a key role in the company’s global strategy, while other shareholders include Tiger Global, Google, and sovereign funds like the Qatar Investment Authority and GIC. For non-Indian companies, Flipkart’s redomiciling reflects a shift in global capital and regulatory priorities, offering a signal to multinational investors and tech firms about India’s growing maturity as a listing destination. The move also underlines the importance of localization for companies aiming to build trust, raise capital, and scale operations in one of the world’s fastest-growing digital economies.
https://www.indiaipo.in/news/flipkart-to-shift-domicile-to-india-ahead-of-landmark-ipo
Editor’s Note: Flipkart plans to shift its holding company from Singapore to India ahead of its highly anticipated IPO, which is expected within 12 to 18 months and could surpass Hyundai’s $19 billion listing. The move aligns with India’s growing economy, digital transformation, and a favorable regulatory environment, following a broader trend of Indian startups redomiciling to tap into domestic capital markets. For global investors and tech firms, this signals India’s increasing appeal as a key listing destination and highlights the importance of localization to scale operations in one of the world’s fastest-growing digital economies.