Brands
Casio sharpens India focus with locally made women’s watches
Tokyo: Casio is stepping up its India play, expanding its women’s watch portfolio with a new range of locally manufactured models aimed at a fast-evolving consumer market.
The Japanese watchmaker’s Indian arm has unveiled a curated lineup of 28 watches, led by 23 women’s models and supported by five men’s designs, underlining a clear strategic tilt toward women as a key growth engine. The move builds on Casio’s push to localise manufacturing while tailoring products more closely to Indian tastes.
Designed for modern, multi-role lifestyles, the new women’s collection spans metal bracelets, leather straps and dual-tone finishes such as gold-silver and rose gold-silver. For the first time, the range also introduces embellished designs, adding a touch of refinement without sacrificing everyday wearability. The watches are positioned for use across festive occasions, professional settings and daily wear.
Takuto Kimura, managing director of Casio India, said the country remained a critical market for the brand’s long-term growth. “By expanding our locally manufactured women’s portfolio, we are offering greater choice and stronger emotional connect, while staying true to Casio’s core strengths of quality, precision and reliability,” he said.
Manufacturing the new models in India is expected to improve availability and speed-to-market, while maintaining Casio’s global quality benchmarks. The company plans focused marketing and retail initiatives around the upcoming festive season to support the rollout.
The Made-in-India collection is available across Casio exclusive stores and authorised retail partners nationwide.
As competition intensifies and women emerge as decisive buyers, Casio is betting that local manufacturing, sharper design and lifestyle relevance will keep its watches ticking in India’s crowded timepiece market.
Brands
Samsung India mobile chief quits after 18 years
Raju Antony Pullan’s exit leaves a gaping hole at the top as Chinese rivals tighten their grip
GURGAON: Raju Antony Pullan has had enough. The senior vice-president and head of Samsung India’s mobile phone business has put in his papers after 18 years at the Korean giant, a tenure long enough to have watched the company stride to the top of India’s smartphone market and then stumble, badly, as Chinese upstarts muscled in.
Pullan, who ran sales, marketing and every last function of the smartphone business, tendered his resignation on Thursday and is currently serving out his notice period. Samsung has not named a successor. It has a second line of leadership waiting in the wings, Aditya Babbar and Hiren Rathod among them, but no decision has been made on who steps up.
The timing is awkward. Samsung has been haemorrhaging market share to Chinese brands and now clings to a top-two position only in the premium segment, where it scraps it out with Apple. Losing the man who stewarded the mobile business through its best and worst years hardly helps steady the ship.
A company that once owned India’s smartphone market is now fighting to stay relevant in it. Pullan’s departure is less a footnote than a flashing red light.
