Google bets on India with Pixel smartphone manufacturing

FILE PHOTO: The new Pixel 8 Phone is displayed in New York City, U.S., October 4, 2023. REUTERS/Caitlin Ochs/File Photo

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Alphabet Inc's Google will start manufacturing smartphones in India and its flagship Pixel 8 will be available next year, an executive said on Thursday, as the tech giant joins global companies setting up facilities in the South Asian nation.

At a Google for India event, Rick Osterloh, senior vice president of devices and services, said Google will partner with international and domestic manufacturers to produce the smartphones locally.