Make In India: Dixon Tech's Sunil Vachani Named NDTV Business Leader Of The Year

Sunil Vachani, founder and executive chairman of Dixon Technologies, has been named NDTV’s Business Leader of the Year, recognising his pivotal role in transforming India into a global electronics manufacturing hub.

Vachani reflected on the journey said, “All the mobile phones sold in the country used to be manufactured elsewhere. Mobiles are now the largest category of exports for us. It was our PM about 10 years ago who inspired manufacturing in India. Picture abhi baaki hai. Now we need to invest into the back end and the integration.”

Dixon Technologies, headquartered in Noida, is India’s largest homegrown electronics manufacturing services company, producing televisions, washing machines, smartphones, LED lighting, and security systems for global brands like Samsung, Xiaomi, Panasonic, and Philips. With 17 manufacturing units across India, Dixon has become a cornerstone of the government’s “Make in India” initiative.

Founded in 1993 by Vachani, Dixon started by making 14-inch televisions, Sega gaming consoles, and push-button phones for Bharti Airtel. The company’s breakthrough came in the 2000s when it secured a government contract to manufacture televisions.

Over the years, Dixon expanded its portfolio to include air conditioners and microwave ovens for LG, DVD players for leading brands, and later LED TVs for Xiaomi at its Tirupati plant in 2018.

In January 2020, Dixon partnered with Samsung for local LED TV production, and in December 2024, it announced a joint venture with Vivo to manufacture smartphones and other electronic devices, cementing its position as a global player. Listed on BSE and NSE since its 2017 IPO, Dixon exemplifies India’s shift from an electronics importer to an export powerhouse.

As Vachani emphasises, the next phase will focus on backend integration and scaling capabilities to sustain India’s competitive edge in global manufacturing.