Amber Enterprises Expands Smartphone Manufacturing in India

Amber Enterprises smartphone manufacturing is set to become a new chapter in India’s electronics manufacturing story, with the Gurugram-based company preparing to produce smartphones for OPPO, OnePlus and Realme.

Amber Enterprises India has entered into a manufacturing collaboration agreement with OPPO Mobiles India. According to Amber’s official announcement, OPPO India is the licensed manufacturer in India for OPPO, OnePlus and Realme, and the collaboration will bring Amber into mobile-phone manufacturing while combining the brands’ product expertise with Amber’s manufacturing capabilities and local supply-chain strengths.

The development is significant because Amber has traditionally been associated with consumer durables and electronics manufacturing, while its wider group has been expanding into components and electronics-related businesses. Its move into smartphones places the company in one of India’s largest and fastest-evolving electronics manufacturing segments.

Amber Enterprises prepares for smartphone production

The company is planning a phased entry rather than an immediate large-scale production launch.

Amber’s management has said trial production is expected during the fourth quarter of FY2026-27, followed by commercial production in the first quarter of FY2027-28. In calendar terms, this places the commercial start around the March 2027 quarter.

The initial production target is around 8 million smartphones during the first year of operations. Amber has indicated that production could then increase substantially, reaching approximately 15–16 million units in the second year as the manufacturing operation is gradually scaled.

This phased approach allows the company to establish production processes, quality systems, workforce capabilities and supply-chain coordination before moving toward significantly higher volumes.

Amber has also appointed a chief operating officer for its mobile-phone manufacturing vertical as it prepares for the new business.

Why the OPPO collaboration matters

The agreement is more than simply Amber adding another product category to its manufacturing portfolio.

Smartphones require highly coordinated manufacturing systems involving printed circuit boards, displays, batteries, mechanical components, cameras, semiconductor-based components, software loading, testing and final assembly. A large-scale smartphone production operation therefore requires strict quality control and highly synchronized supply chains.

Amber’s official announcement says the collaboration is intended to combine the brands’ global product expertise with Amber’s manufacturing scale, operational capabilities, potential for local value addition and Indian supply-chain strengths.

That combination could allow Amber to build deeper capabilities in a segment where production volumes are high and product cycles are relatively short.

The company has also described the agreement as an important milestone in expanding its manufacturing role and creating a longer-term growth platform.

Three major smartphone brands under one manufacturing programme

One of the most notable aspects of the agreement is its coverage of three well-known smartphone brands: OPPO, OnePlus and Realme.

Rather than establishing separate manufacturing programmes for each brand, the collaboration brings the three brands within the scope of Amber’s agreement with OPPO Mobiles India.

For Amber, this could provide a broader production base as volumes increase. For the brands, working with an established Indian electronics manufacturing partner can provide additional manufacturing capacity and operational flexibility.

The arrangement also reflects the increasingly important role of Indian electronics manufacturing service companies in the smartphone industry.

India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem is changing

India’s smartphone industry has undergone a major transformation over the past decade.

Manufacturing has expanded from relatively basic assembly activities toward a broader electronics ecosystem involving components, printed circuit boards, mechanical parts, testing, packaging and supply-chain development.

Government initiatives aimed at increasing domestic electronics production have also encouraged companies to establish and expand manufacturing capabilities in India. Amber’s own leadership has previously discussed the development of India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem, including the progression from phone assembly toward components and raw materials.

The company’s broader manufacturing footprint also demonstrates its focus on building capabilities across different parts of the electronics value chain. Amber says its group has 33 manufacturing facilities and more than 12 sales offices globally.

Its smartphone initiative therefore fits into a wider strategy of becoming a larger participant in electronics and OEM/ODM manufacturing rather than remaining concentrated in traditional consumer-durable categories.

The shift toward local manufacturing partners

Amber’s entry also comes at a time when smartphone brands are increasingly working with Indian manufacturing partners.

Recent industry developments indicate a broader move toward asset-light manufacturing models, where smartphone companies can work with specialized manufacturing companies instead of carrying the entire manufacturing infrastructure themselves. Reports have also highlighted changes involving Vivo’s manufacturing operations and its proposed joint venture with Dixon Technologies.

For smartphone companies, this model can provide greater flexibility in managing manufacturing capacity. For Indian electronics manufacturers, it creates opportunities to take on larger and more technically demanding production programmes.

Amber’s agreement with OPPO India is therefore part of a wider evolution in the structure of India’s electronics manufacturing industry.

What the 8-million-unit target means

An initial target of 8 million smartphones represents a substantial manufacturing programme.

At that volume, production would require continuous coordination between component suppliers, assembly lines, testing operations, logistics providers and the brands’ quality teams.

The planned increase to approximately 15–16 million units in the second year would require Amber to demonstrate that its initial production systems can be scaled without compromising quality or delivery schedules. Management has described the expansion as a calibrated, phase-wise ramp-up rather than an immediate jump to maximum capacity.

That approach is particularly important in smartphone manufacturing because even small production defects can become significant when multiplied across millions of devices.

Local value addition could become an important factor

Another important element of the collaboration is local value addition.

Amber’s official announcement specifically highlights the opportunity to strengthen local supply-chain capabilities and increase value addition within India.

The long-term impact of smartphone manufacturing will therefore depend not only on the number of phones assembled in the country but also on how much of the manufacturing ecosystem develops domestically.

Greater localization can create opportunities for component manufacturers, PCB producers, tooling companies, packaging suppliers, logistics firms and specialized electronics companies.

Amber itself has been expanding its presence in electronics components. Its group includes businesses involved in areas such as printed circuit boards and other electronics-related manufacturing, giving the smartphone initiative potential links with its wider industrial strategy.

From consumer durables to a broader electronics business

Amber’s smartphone manufacturing plans also illustrate how Indian electronics companies are expanding beyond their traditional markets.

The company has a long-established presence in consumer durables and manufacturing, but its current strategy covers a broader set of electronics and component opportunities.

Entering smartphone manufacturing gives Amber exposure to a high-volume technology category while potentially creating new relationships across the electronics supply chain.

If the planned ramp-up from 8 million units to 15–16 million units is achieved, the mobile business could become a meaningful addition to the company’s manufacturing portfolio.

However, actual production volumes will depend on successful execution, customer requirements, market conditions, supply-chain availability and the pace at which commercial operations are scaled.

What happens next

The immediate milestone will be the beginning of trial production in Q4 FY2026-27.

Trial production will be important for validating manufacturing processes before commercial volumes begin. Once the production system is established, Amber expects commercial manufacturing to start in Q1 FY2027-28.

The next phase will be the gradual increase in output toward the company’s first-year target of around 8 million smartphones.

If the operation performs as planned, the second year could bring a significant increase toward the 15–16 million-unit range.

For India’s electronics industry, the development is another indication that domestic manufacturing companies are increasingly taking on sophisticated production programmes for internationally recognized technology brands.

A new phase for Indian smartphone manufacturing

Amber Enterprises’ planned entry into smartphone production is significant not simply because another company is beginning to assemble phones, but because it shows how India’s electronics manufacturing ecosystem is becoming more diversified.

The collaboration with OPPO India brings OPPO, OnePlus and Realme within the scope of Amber’s manufacturing programme, with commercial production expected from the March 2027 quarter and an initial production ambition of around 8 million units. The company expects the operation to potentially reach 15–16 million units in its second year.

The bigger question will be how far this manufacturing programme can develop beyond assembly and contribute to deeper localization of India’s smartphone supply chain.

If Amber successfully executes the planned ramp-up, the initiative could strengthen its position as a major B2B electronics manufacturing partner while adding another important piece to India’s expanding technology manufacturing ecosystem.