US Chipmaker Qualcomm To Localise Automotive Module Production In India, Backs OEM Manufacturing Shift

US chipmaker Qualcomm is moving to localise automotive module production in India, aiming to strengthen domestic supply chains and support partners shifting manufacturing into the country, Business Line reported.

Nakul Duggal, Group GM for Automotive, Industrial and Embedded IoT at Qualcomm Technologies, said that the company is “actively working” to produce in India modules previously built in Taiwan, China, or Korea.

“As our Tier 1 partners move their manufacturing here, we have been supporting them,” he said.

A fabless company, Qualcomm designs chips but outsources fabrication. Duggal noted the focus is on creating opportunities in the supply chain to direct manufacturing locally. India is already home to about 60 per cent of Qualcomm’s global workforce, around 22,000 employees, providing strong engineering support for local automakers.

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Qualcomm has tied up with major OEMs such as Tata Motors, Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, and Hyundai to supply chipsets for advanced telematics, infotainment, and driver-assistance systems, including ADAS. The company’s Snapdragon Cockpit Elite and Snapdragon Ride Elite SoCs, launched in 2024, are expected to be deployed in around a dozen vehicles by 2026.

Duggal emphasised designing products specifically for Indian conditions instead of importing global designs. “There’s a huge need for products built for the local customer. That requires OEMs to have engineering and creative capability—and we’re seeing that happen,” he said, adding that China has gained a competitive edge through such localisation.

The automotive business accounts for 10 per cent of Qualcomm’s global revenue, about $3.6-$3.8 billion. The company targets doubling this to $8 billion by 2029, buoyed by demand from both domestic and global manufacturing automakers in India.

By localising production, Qualcomm aims to position itself as a key technology partner in India’s rapidly evolving EV and connected-car market.

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