Nothing has announced that CMF, previously its sub-brand, will now operate as an independent subsidiary with India as its global base for operations, R&D (Research and Development), and manufacturing. As part of this expansion, Nothing has entered a strategic manufacturing joint venture with Indian electronics maker Optiemus Infracom.
Optiemus, which has previously manufactured for global brands like Realme and OnePlus, will bring engineering and production expertise to the table. The partnership will see over $100 million invested and the creation of more than 1,800 jobs in India over the next three years. Nothing said the collaboration will also establish India as a global production and export hub for both Nothing and CMF products.
Carl Pei, CEO of Nothing, said India will play a key role in shaping the future of the global smartphone industry. “With our end-to-end capabilities, we are uniquely positioned to build CMF into India’s first truly global smartphone brand,” Pei added.
Nothing has already invested over $200 million in India and recently raised $200 million in Series C funding at a $1.3 billion valuation. CMF has also shifted its global marketing operations to India, with senior leadership now based in the country.
CMF’s evolution into a standalone brand backed by local R&D and production could give it a strong edge in the highly competitive mid-range smartphone market in India, where brands like Xiaomi, Realme, and Samsung dominate. CMF launched as Nothing’s sub-brand to offer budget-friendly options for smartphones, wearables, and TWS. CMF has so far launched the Phone 1, Phone 2 Pro, Buds 2 series, and Watch 2 Pro. These are all budget-friendly products with the phones priced under Rs 20,000, the smartwatch and TWS under Rs 5,000.
CMF’s products remain distinct from Nothing’s core lineup but carry unique touches, much like the modular functionality seen in the Phone (1). Meanwhile, Nothing itself has moved up the value chain, positioning alongside Samsung and Apple with its most expensive flagship yet, the Phone (3), launched at Rs 79,999. It will be interesting to see how CMF and Nothing execute their big plans for India and whether they can break into the mass market.
