China’s Xiaomi banned in India

Fast growing smartphone maker Xiaomi has been hit with a court injunction banning its sale or advertising in India.

The injunction arises from a patent dispute with increasingly irrelevant Swedish phone maker Ericsson which alleges the Chinese smartphone manufacturer has stolen aspects of its design.

The ban also applies to online marketplace Flipkart, Xiaomi’s retail partner in India.

The ban is in force until February 5 and covers the “manufacturing, assembling, importing, selling or advertising” of phones nationwide.

According to Business Insider Malaysia, Xiaomi is after just three years in business ow the world’s third largest smartphone manufacturer, already accounting for six per cent of the world’s smartphone sales, behind Samsung (25 per cent) and Apple (12 per cent). Yet it has yet to start marketing phones in the west.

“India is a very important market for Xiaomi and we will respond promptly as needed and in full compliance with India’s laws,” said Manu Jain, Xiaomi India’s chief, in a statement.

Indian customs officials have been ordered to seize any Xiaomi products found being imported into the country.

Xiaomi said in the statement it has not yet received official notification of the court ruling.

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