Eleven years after entering India as a disruptor selling affordable 4G smartphones almost entirely online, Xiaomi is recalibrating. The company that made its name by offering the best specifications at the lowest prices is now chasing a different kind of consumer — one who has already upgraded their phone two or three times and is no longer impressed by spec sheets alone.“The shift is from value for money to value for experience,” said Xiaomi India COO Sudhin Mathur, in a conversation with The Times of India. “What worked in the past will not necessarily work in the future.” The numbers Mathur cites reflect a company that has grown far beyond its scrappy origins. Globally, Xiaomi reported roughly 25 per cent revenue growth and 43 per cent profit growth in its full-year 2025 results. Smartphone revenue grew by 40 per cent, and the company has held the number three position in global smartphone rankings for five consecutive years.
In televisions, it sold over 400,000 units last year — a figure it says represents more than 200 per cent growth.In India, the company claims to have sold over 350 million devices since 2014, including 250 million smartphones and nearly 100 million non-phone products.
A three-brand architecture
Central to Xiaomi’s repositioning is how it is deploying its brand portfolio. Mathur laid out a structure where the Xiaomi name itself will be reserved for premium and flagship products, Redmi will continue to serve the mainstream and mid-premium segment, and Poco will focus on younger, performance-oriented buyers.
“Earlier, consumers largely associated the company with Redmi, especially the Note and number series,” Mathur acknowledged. “But going forward, Xiaomi-branded products will lead our premium positioning.”That premium push is already visible in recent launches: the Xiaomi 17 series, developed in partnership with German camera brand Leica and priced close to Rs 1 lakh; a range of QLED televisions; upcoming Mini LED TVs; and tablets under the Xiaomi Pad banner.
Robo vacuum cleaners and air purifiers are also part of the expanding lineup.
The perception challenge
The obvious question — one Mathur did not sidestep — is whether a brand so deeply associated with budget devices can credibly charge a premium. His answer leans on changing consumer priorities rather than brand repositioning alone.“Consumers who are willing to spend more today are looking beyond just specifications. They care about reliability, after-sales service, ecosystem integration, and overall brand trust,” he said.
“At the premium end, it’s not just about the product — it’s about the experience.”On whether foldable smartphones might arrive in India — a category where Xiaomi has a global presence — Mathur was measured. “That depends on market readiness and demand. We continuously evaluate market fit before launching any product,” he said.The broader arc of Xiaomi’s ambition in India, as Mathur framed it, is a transition from being seen primarily as a smartphone company to becoming a full ecosystem player. Whether consumers who once queued virtually for Rs 10,000 phones will follow the brand to its new price points remains to be seen.
