India’s consumer durables sector is entering a new phase of competition. Within a span of two days, two very different companies revealed their ambitions. German appliance giant BSH Home Appliances decided to enter the mass market in India for the first time globally by sharply lowering Bosch’s entry-level prices and launching products in categories it had long avoided. Almost simultaneously, Xiaomi revealed plans to enter the large home appliances business in India as growth in smartphones slows.
These moves come after a year marked by acquisitions, stake sales, private equity interest, and aggressive expansion plans by some of the world’s biggest consumer brands. India’s homes have become one of the most coveted growth opportunities in global consumer markets.
