Electronics manufacturing services firm Amber Enterprises India is set to enter the smartphone manufacturing business, with trial production of phones for Oppo, OnePlus and Realme expected to begin in the March 2027 quarter, PTI reported on Sunday.
Commercial production is scheduled to start in the first quarter of financial year 2027-28, Amber Executive Chairman, CEO said during the company's earnings call, as per the report.
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Amber has entered into a manufacturing collaboration agreement with Oppo Mobiles India covering the three brands. The company expects to produce around 8 million smartphones in its first year of operations and nearly double the output to 15-16 million units in the second year.
"We are on course to commence the trial production by quarter 4 of FY27 and commercial production to begin quarter 1 of FY28," Singh said, according to PTI.
Amber has also appointed a chief operating officer for its mobile phone manufacturing business. Production is expected to be ramped up in phases as the new vertical scales up.
The move comes as Chinese smartphone brands deepen their reliance on asset-light manufacturing models in India. Oppo, OnePlus and Realme are part of the broader group of brands that originated from China's BBK Electronics, although the companies operate independently.
Oppo smartphones are also manufactured at Vivo's facility in Noida for the Indian market. Vivo, meanwhile, is in the process of transferring its manufacturing plant to a joint venture being formed with Dixon Technologies.
The shift could reduce the direct manufacturing exposure of Chinese smartphone brands in India as they increasingly rely on local electronics manufacturing partners.
Vivo has faced action from the Enforcement Directorate, while Oppo has faced action from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence over tax-related matters.
Vivo was India's largest smartphone brand by sales volume in the second quarter of 2026, with a 17.8% market share, followed by Samsung at 17.6% and Oppo at 13.6%, according to Counterpoint Research. Brands from the Vivo and Oppo groups, including iQoo, Realme and OnePlus, together accounted for 45.6% of India's smartphone market during the quarter.
PCB margins under pressure
Amber also expects pressure on margins in its bare printed circuit board business amid a sharp increase in copper-clad laminate (CCL) prices.
Singh said CCL prices continue to rise due to strong demand from artificial intelligence and data-centre applications, along with supply shortages. The company has been passing the higher costs on to customers, although with a lag.
Amber plans to set up its own CCL manufacturing plant by 2029-30, Singh said.
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