Google and HP are working together on latest Chromebooks for India

Google’s new relationship with HP is giving Chromebooks a new boost. Together, the two businesses will manufacture Chromebooks in India, where the Narendra Modi administration is pressuring major international tech companies to enhance local production. To encourage businesses to establish India as one of their primary manufacturing hubs, Modi has announced the $2 billion “Make in India” project.

Google and HP will manufacture Chromebooks in India

Google CEO Sundar Pichai stated in an X post earlier today, “We’re partnering with HP to manufacture Chromebooks in India. These are the first Chromebooks to be made in India and will make it easier for Indian students to have access to affordable and secure computing.” He didn’t provide any other information; however, HP independently disclosed that production began today, October 2.

The Flex Facility in Chennai, the state capital of Tamil Nadu, India, is where the firms produce the Chromebooks. According to a TOI article, HP has been making computing products at this plant for the past few years. Since August 2020, a variety of laptops and desktops have been produced at this location. It’s not clear if the business has increased Chromebook production at the facility or if it is cutting output of laptops and desktops.

It is unknown what specifications the new Chromebooks that Google and HP will be selling in India will have. The companies claim, however, that they will produce “affordable PCs” aimed primarily at the educational market. The goal is to reinforce their commitment to the Make in India program of the Modi administration while also assisting the nation’s digital education environment.

More tech businesses could begin producing domestically in India

A key competitor for a tech manufacturing hub is emerging as the most populous nation in the world, India, as businesses strive to diversify their production bases away from China in the wake of rising US-China tensions. Additionally, encouraging businesses to build new manufacturing facilities in India is part of the Make in India initiative. The collaboration between Google and HP is an illustration of the nation’s growing allure as a tech center.

Additionally, India has put a ban on the importation of IT goods, including laptops and tablets. The Modi administration is pressuring businesses to enhance their domestic production. Because producers need more time to choose the best immediate and long-term solutions, the restriction is not yet in place. The likelihood that many computer businesses will soon be producing domestically in India is growing.