Google and HP Forge a Strategic Sourcing Partnership to Produce Affordable Google Chromebook Laptops in India, Aligning with the Make in India Initiative. The Initiative Aims to Advance Digital Education by Providing Cost-Efficient Laptops, Manufactured at HP’s Chennai-based Flex Facility, to Students and Educational Institutions, with Starting Prices at Rs 20,000.
In a substantial development aligning with the Make in India initiative, tech giants HP and Google have forged a partnership to manufacture cost-effective Chromebook laptops within India. This strategic collaboration is geared towards addressing the budget-friendly notebook market, with a specific focus on serving the needs of students, educational institutions, and government procurement.
According to reports from the Times of India, the Chromebook devices are anticipated to be priced around Rs 20,000, with the potential for even lower rates in bulk purchases. Production will be carried out at the Flex facility near Chennai, where HP has been manufacturing laptops and desktops since August 2020. Manufacturing operations are scheduled to commence on October 2, with a primary emphasis on meeting the demand for economical PCs, particularly within the education sector. This marks the inaugural production of Google Chromebooks in India.
Vickram Bedi, Senior Director (Personal Systems) at HP India, expressed HP’s unwavering commitment to advancing digital equity and supporting digital education initiatives in India. By locally manufacturing Chromebook laptops, Indian students will gain increased access to cost-effective personal computing devices. Bedi also underscored HP’s dedication to the Make in India program.
For Google, this collaboration represents an opportunity to further embed itself within the Indian education system with affordable notebook offerings. Bani Dhawan, Head of Education (South Asia) at Google, emphasized their ongoing efforts to facilitate the transition of the local education ecosystem toward digital-first learning experiences through various products and teacher programs. The local production of Chromebooks in partnership with HP stands as a significant milestone in Google’s mission to facilitate the digital transformation of education in India.
Dhawan expressed optimism that this collaboration would expedite the adoption of technology in more schools, ensuring that every student and educator gains access to the essential tools and skills required to unlock their full potential. This joint venture between HP and Google not only aligns with India’s Make in India initiative but also paves the way for more affordable and accessible digital education solutions for students and institutions across the nation.
