# Carl Pei says CMF to become standalone Indian company

2026-09-21T11:36:42+00:00 | Technology | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 4 independent outlets

Nothing CEO Carl Pei announced that the company's sub-brand CMF will be spun off into a standalone Indian firm with majority Indian ownership, based locally with its own engineering and R&D team. The goal is to produce 100 million devices annually. Nothing will remain a shareholder and partner. In an open letter titled 'India Is Inevitable' published on September 21, 2026, Pei argued that India must move from 'Make in India' to 'Engineer in India' to build a global consumer electronics brand. He noted that Indian brands once held nearly half the smartphone market but fell to under 1% by 2025 due to a lack of real engineering, as they licensed off-the-shelf designs. Pei said India's manufacturing ecosystem is in place but needs stronger local brands to drive demand for complex components. The CMF spin-off involves a joint venture with Optiemus and an investment of over $100 million over three years, aiming to create over 1,800 jobs.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

The coverage across outlets is uniformly neutral, reporting Carl Pei's announcement and arguments without editorialising. The Hindu and Livemint provided the most detail, including Pei's critique of past Indian brands and his call for R&D. NDTV's report was brief, and Gadgets360 noted that CMF was already registered in India in January. The key implication is whether CMF can succeed where earlier Indian brands failed, given Pei's emphasis on in-house engineering rather than assembly. The joint venture with Optiemus and the 100-million-device target will test this model's viability.

## Coverage

- thehindu.com (neutral report) <https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/gadgets/cmf-will-be-a-standalone-indian-company-says-carl-pei/article71491073.ece>
  Straight reporting of Pei's open letter and plans
- livemint.com (neutral report) <https://www.livemint.com/technology/from-make-in-india-to-engineer-in-india-nothing-ceo-carl-pei-makes-his-case-11789985546599.html>
  Detailed but neutral coverage of the announcement and context
- ndtv.com (neutral report) <https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/carl-pei-bets-on-india-to-build-next-global-smartphone-brand-explains-why-12075731#publisher=newsstand>
  Brief factual summary of Pei's statement
- gadgets360.com (neutral report) <https://www.gadgets360.com/mobiles/news/cmf-spin-off-india-firm-nothing-carl-pei-12076427>
  Neutral report with additional detail on CMF's registration

Tags: Carl Pei, CMF, Make in India, Nothing, Optiemus
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