Mitsubishi to expand operations in Indian cellular market

NEW DELHI, DEC. 25. Japanese giant Mitsubishi has decided to target India for a major marketing offensive to cater to the growing cellular market by bringing in its range handsets and other hardware.

Identifying India as a major growth centre due to a sharp monthly growth of cellular subscribers, the Japanese company has planned a marketing strategy to capture up to 10 per cent of the market share, a company official said.

``We want to take a 10 per cent overall market share by 2001- 02,'' Mr. Isac Waldman, Mitsubishi's chief representative in India, told PTI. Mr. Waldman, however, said that company's main emphasis would be to fight the grey market and Mitsubishi has planned to increase its exposure in the low-end segment of handsets costing Rs. 3,990 in a big way.

But at the same time, the Japanese giant would be addressing the medium and upper segments by bringing in handsets costing Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 19,900 for the two segments, Mr. Waldmand said.

Company's handsets under the brandname 'Trium' would be available in Indian market through Mitsubishi's Israel based distribution company HAT Trade, currently marketing trium mobiles in Israel, Romania, South Asia, Bulgaria and SAARC countries.

By the end of current financial year, the company would launch its all products in the Indian market, he said adding that the proposed personal computer at palm called `Mondo' weighing only 210 grams would hit the Indian market in the second week of January 2001. Mondo is likely to cost up to $1,000 in the Indian market, Mr. Waldman said.

Mitsubishi, which started operations in India about three months back, claims to have notched a market share of more than 25 per cent in the low-end segment mainly due to price advantage.

Waldman said Mitsubishi would be launching a special campaign for the business people saying that this category had a lot of potential to grow in the coming years.

Asked about targeted turnover from the Indian market, Mr. Waldman said ``we are looking for a turnover of between $10 and $12 million by the end of next financial year.'' The company is also talking to cellular operators in all metros for `strategic promotional tie-ups' to offer the handsets as a part of package, Mr. S. S. Bassi, country manager, Mitsubishi Trium said.

Mr. Bassi, however, refused to give details with regard to entering into strategic tie-ups with major operators, but said that the some of deals would be finalised soon.

Mitsubishi Trium, claiming to have 28 per cent market share in Japan, eight per cent in Europe and about nine per cent in Asia, is selling about 20 million handsets annually across the world, Mr. Bassi added.

- PTI

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Section  : Business
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