No India IPO for now: Samsung bets on AI, local manufacturing and easy finance to drive growth

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Samsung Electronics has ruled out listing its India business for the time being, choosing instead to focus on expanding artificial intelligence (AI) adoption across its products, strengthening local manufacturing, and growing its consumer finance offerings in one of its most important global markets, the company’s top executive said to news agency PTI.

In an interview with PTI, JB Park, President and CEO of Samsung Southwest Asia, said the South Korean electronics major has no immediate plans to tap the Indian capital markets. When asked about a possible IPO, Park said, “No, we do not have any such plans as of now.”

Samsung, which operates its largest smartphone manufacturing facility in the world at Noida, is instead looking to deepen its manufacturing footprint in India. Park said the company has applied under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for components to manufacture mobile phone displays locally, underscoring India’s role as both a major domestic market and an export hub.

While South Korean peers such as Hyundai Motor India and LG Electronics have recently accessed public markets, Samsung prefers to fund its expansion internally. Park said the company has several alternatives to raise capital if needed. “So, there are multiple options that you can get the working capital in place. So, IPO is not the plan for Samsung,” he said.

A key growth driver for Samsung in India is its consumer finance arm, Finance+. The company currently offers interest-free EMIs on smartphones and is expanding the scheme to home appliances such as televisions and washing machines. “More than 40 per cent of smartphones have been sold on Finance+,” Park said, adding that the segment is growing at around 10 per cent every year and is particularly important for expanding sales in rural markets across north and northeast India.

AI, Park said, will be central to Samsung’s future product strategy. The company plans to showcase several AI-powered innovations at CES 2026 in Las Vegas next month. “AI appliances are entering a new turning point,” he said, with products offering smarter and more personalised user experiences.

At CES, Samsung is expected to unveil upgrades across its AI appliance lineup, including washing solutions, air conditioners, robot vacuums, and refrigerators. The company will also introduce enhancements to its premium TV portfolio, including the next generation of Micro RGB display technology.

Highlighting India’s role in Samsung’s global innovation strategy, Park said the company employs over 10,000 engineers across three R&D centres and a design centre in the country, contributing to both India-specific and global product development.

*With PTI Inputs