Google eyes India for Pixel production as tariff tensions mount

The move comes as the U.S. mulls imposing a 46% tariff on imports from Vietnam — Google's key Pixel production hub — compared to a lower 26% from India.

By Storyboard18| Apr 22, 2025 10:22 AM

Google eyes India for Pixel production as tariff tensions mount

In India, the referee owns the game and the ad market runs through a single gatekeeper - Google.

Amid rising global trade tensions, Google is reportedly accelerating plans to shift a portion of its Pixel smartphone production to India. According to The Economic Times, the tech giant has initiated talks with contract manufacturers Dixon Technologies and Foxconn to ramp up assembly and possibly localise components such as chargers, batteries, and fingerprint sensors — most of which are currently imported.

The move comes as the U.S. mulls imposing a 46% tariff on imports from Vietnam — Google's key Pixel production hub — compared to a lower 26% from India. China, still a minor player in Pixel manufacturing, faces a punishing 145% tariff and is excluded from the recent 90-day pause on new levies that took effect April 9.

India, where Pixel units are currently assembled for domestic consumption, could now become a strategic export hub for the U.S. market. Google is said to be producing 43,000–45,000 units per month in India, primarily through Dixon’s Noida facility and Foxconn’s Tamil Nadu plant. With geopolitical headwinds reshaping supply chains, the previously gradual ramp-up timeline of 2–3 years is now being re-evaluated for quicker execution.