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Google is giving Chromebooks a new push with a fresh partnership with HP. The two companies will work together to produce Chromebooks in India where the Narendra Modi-led government is encouraging global tech giants to increase local production. Modi has launched a $2 billion “Make in India” initiative to have companies make the country one of their key manufacturing hubs.
Google and HP to produce Chromebooks in India
“We’re partnering with HP to manufacture Chromebooks in India – These are the first Chromebooks to be made in India and will make it easier for Indian students to have access to affordable and secure computing,” Google CEO Sundar Pichai said in an X post earlier today. While he didn’t share more details, HP separately revealed that the production is underway starting today, October 2.
The companies are manufacturing the Chromebooks at the Flex Facility in Chennai, the capital city of the Indian state of Tamilnadu. HP has been producing computing devices at this facility for the past few years, a TOI report notes. It has manufactured a range of laptops and desktops at this site since August 2020. It’s unclear whether the company has added new lines of production at the site for Chromebooks or if it’s reducing its laptop and desktop production.
Specs of the new Chromebooks coming through this partnership between Google and HP in India are not known. However, the companies say they will make “affordable PCs” primarily targeted at the education sector. The idea is to support the digital education ecosystem in the country while simultaneously reaffirming their commitment to the Modi government’s Make in India initiative.
More tech companies may start producing locally in India soon
India, the world’s most populous country, is emerging as a major contender for a tech manufacturing hub as companies look to diversify their production bases away from China amid growing US-China tensions. The Make in India initiative is also encouraging companies to establish new production facilities in the country. This partnership between Google and HP is an example of the country’s new appeal as a tech hub.
Moreover, India recently announced a restriction on imports of IT products such as laptops and tablets. The Modi government is pushing companies to increase their local production. The restriction is not yet effective as manufacturers need more time to figure out the best short-term and long-term solutions. However, it is looking increasingly likely that we will soon see many tech companies producing locally in India.