KOLKATA (TIP): Lenovo India Pvt. is eyeing the top position in the Indian PC market by March, its Marketing Director – India & South Asia, Bhaskar Choudhuri said.

The company also aims to grab the number three spot in the smartphone segment, he said.

The Chinese computer maker is currently ranked third in the Indian PC market with a share of about 18 per cent, which it wants to increase to 20 per cent. It is fifth-largest in smartphones with a share of about 7 per cent.

“Lot of work needs to be done to get there…it is a stiff target,” he told The Hindu during an interaction. The company “needs to fundamentally rethink the categories and take bold steps to reach there.”

Lenovo entered the Indian smartphone market a little over two years ago. “We plan to build a portfolio in 4G- enabled phones,” he said, declining to reveal more details of his strategies.

Mr. Choudhuri said that Lenovo has already started initiatives to boost computer penetration in India, which at 10 per cent, is lowest among developing countries. The programme aims at educating the youth on PC use while providing financial support through Bajaj Fin Serv. This initiative is now being launched in West Bengal after successful pilots in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Punjab and Maharashtra. The computer sales market is flat and Lenovo is targeting the tier two markets, he said.

“In terms of growth, India is among the most important markets for Lenovo. It is among the top-10 countries by turnover,” he said, adding that India could also become Lenovo’s export-hub. “However some clarity is needed on taxes and duties.” The company has two production facilities in India – at Puducherry (for PCs) and the other near Chennai (for smartphones).