Xiaomi Names Alvin Tse as New Head for India Unit After $700 Mn Dispute

Xiaomi Corp. has named Alvin Tse as the new head of its India business as the Chinese smartphone company navigates government challenge.

Alvin Tse, who was previously the top Xiaomi executive in Indonesia, will take over as the general manager for the company’s India unit, (REUTERS)

Xiaomi Corp. has named Alvin Tse as the new head of its India business as the Chinese smartphone company navigates government challenges in its second-biggest market by users.

Tse, who was previously the top Xiaomi executive in Indonesia, will take over as the general manager for the company's India unit, Xiaomi said, without giving a precise timeline.

Tse's appointment comes as Xiaomi battles accusations by India's anti-money-laundering agency that it moved money out of the country by falsely claiming it was for patent-fee payments. The agency seized more than $700 million from the India unit of the Chinese smartphone maker in April, a move that has since been put on hold pending a final court decision.

India's hardening stance on Xiaomi is part of a wider scrutiny of Chinese companies since a Himalayan border clash between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in 2020.

Manu Kumar Jain, the previous Xiaomi India head credited with the company's rise to No. 1 in the country's smartphone market, last year moved on to a global role and is currently responsible for international strategy.