Ai+ Smartphone has signed a five-year deal with Optiemus Electronics to manufacture up to 3 million devices in Noida with a Rs. 125 crore investment. Founder Madhav Sheth said the focus is beyond assembly, targeting localisation of components, software control via NxtQuantum OS, and building long-term trust among India’s 350 million feature phone users.

Ai+ Smartphone has signed a five-year deal with Optiemus Electronics to manufacture up to 3 million devices out of Noida, backed by a joint investment of Rs. 125 crore. But founder Madhav Sheth is quick to draw a line between what Ai+ is doing and what most 'Make in India' brands actually deliver.

"Assembly is only the final step of the chain," Sheth told . "Value creation means building capability across three layers, components, software, and supply chain ownership."

On the ground, that means progressively localising PCBs, enclosures, chargers, and sub-assemblies, while owning the experience layer through the brand's proprietary NxtQuantum OS. "The partnership gives us the manufacturing base, but the objective remains depth and resilience, not only volume," he said.

Targeting India's last 350 million