PhonePe's Indus Appstore lands Alcatel as OEM partner after Xiaomi

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PhonePe’s Indus Appstore has entered into a strategic OEM partnership with Alcatel under which the homegrown app marketplace will come installed on all the smartphones sold by the French consumer technology brand in India.

“As part of this long-term partnership, Indus Appstore will come pre-installed as an app store on all Alcatel smartphones in India,” the companies said in a joint statement on August 4. “By integrating a localised app marketplace, both the brands continue to drive innovation and accessibility for millions of users across the country.”

The tie-up builds on Indus Appstore’s broader OEM push. In March, it announced a multi-year alliance with Xiaomi India to integrate Indus Appstore on all new Xiaomi smartphones and replace GetApps on existing devices, aiming to boost accessibility and app discovery across the country.

The announcement comes as Alcatel, once a familiar brand in India’s feature phone and entry-level smartphone market, makes a renewed push to re-establish itself in the country.

Also read: Old brands, new battles: Acer, Alcatel return as Honor, Nokia fade in India’s smartphone war

Alcatel is a French tech brand operated by China’s TCL Communication under a trademark licensing agreement with Nokia. Nokia acquired Alcatel-Lucent in 2016 and owns the Alcatel brand, which began selling cordless mobile phones in India in 1996.

The relaunch is being led by NxtCell India, a Gurugram-based company that holds exclusive brand rights from TCL to represent and operate Alcatel in India and select international markets.

Alcatel’s return is backed by an initial investment of $30 million (around Rs 260 crore) to revive the brand, expand distribution, and support local manufacturing. The company has partnered with Padget Electronics, a subsidiary of Dixon Technologies, and aims to begin domestic production over the next 12–18 months.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Alcatel at the early stages of their journey in India,” Indus Appstore chief business officer (CBO) Priya M Narasimhan. “This collaboration enables Alcatel users to discover and experience apps through a home-grown platform that delivers true localisation and personalisation. This partnership also expands Indus Appstore's reach while providing developers and marketers opportunities to showcase their apps and connect with more users across India."

“As we prepare to reintroduce Alcatel smartphones to the Indian market, our focus is on creating meaningful differentiation through localized innovation. Partnering with PhonePe’s Indus Appstore allows us to deliver a digital experience tailored to Indian preferences right from the first boot,” NxtCell India CBO Atul Vivek said.

For Indus Appstore, which launched in February 2024, the partnership expands its distribution footprint as a pre-installed app marketplace. Developed by PhonePe, the store supports 12 Indian languages, voice search in 10 regional languages, and offers a video-led discovery experience. It is positioned as a localised alternative to Google Play.