Former Apple Exec May Soon Spearhead Google's Govt Affairs Push In India

Alphabet Inc’s Google is reportedly set to bring in a seasoned professional with experience at other Big Tech firms to lead its government affairs efforts as it looks to assemble its Pixel smartphones in India.

What Happened? Sreenivasa Reddy, a senior engineering executive at Microsoft Corp at present, is set to join Google later this year, sources told Bloomberg.

Reddy’s extensive experience includes senior positions at Apple and Ericsson AB, where he played a pivotal role in driving domestic manufacturing initiatives.

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This move is strategic for Google as it aims to address legal challenges and expand hardware assembly operations in India. One of the key objectives is to establish local manufacturing facilities for Google’s popular Pixel smartphones, diversifying production beyond China. This may also pave the way for manufacturing other Google hardware products, such as speakers, within India.

Reddy’s expertise will come to use in navigating India’s complex regulatory landscape, especially as Google faces antitrust charges in the country related to its Android mobile operating system.

Google’s previous head of policy in India, Archana Gulati, exited the company last year.

India is a significant growth market for global tech firms like Google and the company is keen to find ways to make Android smartphones more affordable, aiming to attract a larger user base in the world’s most populous country.

Google also plans to establish a global financial-technology center in Gujarat International Finance Tech-City (GIFT City), Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Washington.

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