During the NDTV World Summit 2026, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw addressed the question of when India might produce its own globally competitive smartphone brands, similar to Apple or Samsung. Vaishnaw did not provide a specific calendar date but instead focused on the structural and technical challenges inherent in the industry.

He explained that creating a smartphone is a highly complex engineering feat. The process requires the seamless integration of various advanced technologies into a compact, reliable device, which presents a significant barrier to entry for new market players. While the minister acknowledged the goal of domestic innovation, his comments framed the development process as a long-term technological endeavor rather than a simple policy or manufacturing milestone. The discussion highlighted the government's recognition of the difficulty in competing with established global tech giants that have decades of experience in hardware design and supply chain management.