Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Bali and Hong Kong have emerged as business meeting hubs for Chinese companies operating in India. That’s because senior Chinese executives have not received work permits to operate out of India in the past four-five years.
Indian company bosses who want to forge business partnerships with Chinese companies, be it in manufacturing or sales, are also flying to these destinations, as well as China, for their meetings.
Vivo India chief executive Jerome Chen, Oppo India vice president and country head Figo Zhang, OnePlus India chief executive Robin Liu and Realme India vice president and country head Michael Guo are some Chinese business leaders who are not based in India and regularly hold offline meetings abroad, industry executives said.
Liu of OnePlus last month met mobile phone retailers in Bangkok while the Oppo India management called trade partners to Bali in the month of November for a conclave at which Zhang and India sales director Roy Chen finalised plans for 2025, they said.
Realme recently held a meeting with big retailers in Thailand.
Television manufacturer Hisense flew a team of Indian trade partners to Dubai before Diwali. Its product team for India is based there. India managing director Steven Li, who is Chinese, and Pankaj Rana, chief executive officer of the local unit, are based in New Delhi.
Vivo, Oppo, Realme, OnePlus and Hisense didn’t respond to queries.
Most of the expat-dominated business teams of Chinese companies in India had gone back home during the Covid pandemic or are newly appointed.
They are yet to receive Indian visas despite multiple applications even though New Delhi has recently liberalised the regime for Chinese specialist engineers critical to the establishment of factories.
Chinese smartphone brands increased their combined market share in India to 75% by units sold in calendar 2024 from 74% in 2023, according to Counterpoint Research. The Chinese companies are also expanding revenue in India. Industry executives attribute this to their strategy of selling high-specification products at a lower cost than South Korean and Japanese brands.
Despite Chinese companies having invested significantly in India, the number of senior business leaders from that country based in India has dropped significantly and most of them are operating from bases there, said the owner of a leading electronic retail chain. “As they are not getting Indian visas, they are forced to call all business meetings in nearby countries,” he said.
Chief executives and senior leaders of homegrown contract manufacturers also regularly hold business meetings with Chinese companies outside India.
Joint ventures or business partnerships with Chinese companies have become critical as India emerges a hub for contract manufacturing.
A senior executive at one of the leading homegrown contract manufacturers said getting a Chinese business visa is not a problem, which is why he goes there for 5-7 days at a stretch, finishes all meetings and returns.
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Vivo India chief executive Jerome Chen, Oppo India vice president and country head Figo Zhang, OnePlus India chief executive Robin Liu and Realme India vice president and country head Michael Guo are some Chinese business leaders who are not based in India and regularly hold offline meetings abroad, industry executives said.
Liu of OnePlus last month met mobile phone retailers in Bangkok while the Oppo India management called trade partners to Bali in the month of November for a conclave at which Zhang and India sales director Roy Chen finalised plans for 2025, they said.
Realme recently held a meeting with big retailers in Thailand.
Television manufacturer Hisense flew a team of Indian trade partners to Dubai before Diwali. Its product team for India is based there. India managing director Steven Li, who is Chinese, and Pankaj Rana, chief executive officer of the local unit, are based in New Delhi.
Vivo, Oppo, Realme, OnePlus and Hisense didn’t respond to queries.
Most of the expat-dominated business teams of Chinese companies in India had gone back home during the Covid pandemic or are newly appointed.
They are yet to receive Indian visas despite multiple applications even though New Delhi has recently liberalised the regime for Chinese specialist engineers critical to the establishment of factories.
Chinese smartphone brands increased their combined market share in India to 75% by units sold in calendar 2024 from 74% in 2023, according to Counterpoint Research. The Chinese companies are also expanding revenue in India. Industry executives attribute this to their strategy of selling high-specification products at a lower cost than South Korean and Japanese brands.
Despite Chinese companies having invested significantly in India, the number of senior business leaders from that country based in India has dropped significantly and most of them are operating from bases there, said the owner of a leading electronic retail chain. “As they are not getting Indian visas, they are forced to call all business meetings in nearby countries,” he said.
Chief executives and senior leaders of homegrown contract manufacturers also regularly hold business meetings with Chinese companies outside India.
Joint ventures or business partnerships with Chinese companies have become critical as India emerges a hub for contract manufacturing.
A senior executive at one of the leading homegrown contract manufacturers said getting a Chinese business visa is not a problem, which is why he goes there for 5-7 days at a stretch, finishes all meetings and returns.
