Xiaomi is looking beyond smartphones as it enters the next phase of its growth in India. With the launch of Mijia, its home and lifestyle sub-brand, the company is looking to strengthen the ‘Home’ pillar of its global Human x Car x Home strategy. Air purification is the first category in this expansion, building on Xiaomi’s presence in the segment since 2016, while the company has already announced plans to enter the large appliance category. We spoke to Mr. Sudhin Mathur, Chief Operating Officer, Xiaomi India, about the thinking behind the Mijia launch, changing consumer attitudes towards indoor air quality, and Xiaomi’s ambitions to build a more connected smart-home ecosystem in India.
SN: Why is Xiaomi entering the home category more aggressively now, and what role does Mijia play in the broader Human x Car x Home strategy?
SM: Xiaomi’s stronger push into the home category is a natural next step in the journey we have built in India over the past 12 years. We started with smartphones, expanded into personal technology, and over time, consumers began bringing more and more Xiaomi products into their homes. The opportunity now is to connect these experiences rather than have them exist as individual products.
Today, Xiaomi’s capabilities extend far beyond individual devices, anchored in our Human x Car x Home strategy, introduced globally in October 2023, which seamlessly connects personal devices, home appliances and mobility into one intelligent ecosystem.
Over the years, Xiaomi has steadily built the ‘Human’ pillar through smartphones, tablets, wearables, smart TVs and AIoT. The next phase of Xiaomi’s growth story in India is to strengthen the ‘Home’ pillar of our Human x Car x Home ecosystem by bringing a broader portfolio of home appliances. This is where Mijia becomes important.
We introduced Mijia as a new sub-brand in India, joining Xiaomi, REDMI and POCO under the Xiaomi group. Mijia, meaning “Mi Home”, is the Group’s home and lifestyle sub-brand, bringing the company’s global smart living experience to one of its most strategic markets.
Smartphones will continue to be the foundation of our ecosystem. Mijia represents the next chapter of that journey, taking Xiaomi from being a brand consumers carry in their pocket to one that increasingly becomes part of how they experience their homes.
SN: Why has air purification emerged as the first category for Mijia’s India entry, and how significant do you see the untapped opportunity in this market?
SM: Air purifiers were a natural starting point to bring Mijia to India because we already have a strong foundation in the category. Xiaomi entered air purifiers in India in 2016 and has since built an installed base of approximately 180,000 users, making us one of the preferred choices for smart air purifiers in the country.
But the bigger opportunity lies in the fact that the category is still relatively underpenetrated. Awareness around indoor air quality is increasing, but air purifiers are yet to become a mainstream household appliance for a large part of India. That gives us an opportunity not just to participate in the category, but to help strengthen it.
Consumers have become more conscious of healthier living spaces and increasingly look for smarter, connected homes. We believe air purifiers are moving from being a seasonal purchase made in response to outdoor pollution to becoming a more deliberate choice for everyday living. Consumers increasingly recognise that healthy, clean indoor air should be an integral part of everyday living.
The market dynamics reflect this change. According to IMARC, the Indian air purifier market was valued at USD 579.06 million in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 1.8 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 13.54% between 2026 and 2034.
With Mijia, we are building on the trust and experience we have already established as a brand, while bringing a broader smart-home proposition to users. Our two recent launches, much ahead of the peak demand season, are the first step in that journey. The new Mijia air purifiers are designed to blend naturally into consumers’ daily lifestyles, helping them maintain a cleaner and smarter living environment.
SN: What consumer shifts are driving greater demand for air purifiers, and are Indians beginning to think about indoor air quality differently?
SM: Yes, the way consumers think about indoor air is changing. Air purifiers were once largely a seasonal purchase, driven by periods of high outdoor pollution. Increasingly, consumers are thinking beyond outdoor air quality and paying greater attention to the smarter environment they create inside their homes as well.
This is part of a broader shift towards more conscious, healthier and smarter living, with technology increasingly playing a role in it. Just as consumers have become more mindful of what they eat, how they sleep and how they exercise, they are beginning to think more consciously about the air they breathe.
Our experience across connected devices, established consumer trust and ecosystem capabilities gives us an opportunity to make air purifiers more accessible and relevant to a much wider set of consumers. The larger opportunity is to help make everyday living smarter and healthier, creating a connected experience.
SN: What does Mijia bring to the air purifier category that consumers aren’t already getting from existing players?
SM: The differentiation comes from bringing Xiaomi’s strengths in innovation and connected experiences into a category that has traditionally been treated as a standalone appliance. Mijia by Xiaomi is the sub-brand through which we are expanding our home portfolio, bringing the same Xiaomi DNA, capabilities and approach deeper into the home.
With the Mijia Air Purifiers 6 and 4 Compact, we have focused on combining strong performance with a smarter, more intuitive and connected experience. We’re bringing Xiaomi’s smart-home proposition to India in a more focused way – connecting technology, convenience and everyday living.
Our intent is to make advanced air purifiers feel less like a seasonal appliance that is used only when pollution levels rise, and more like an intuitive, connected part of everyday home living.
We are also looking at the category through the lens of real consumers. A living room, bedroom, study or home office can have very different requirements, and the right air-care solution needs to reflect those differences. Mijia by Xiaomi is addressing contemporary consumer needs as we expand into our ‘Home’ category.
SN: Is air purification the starting point for a much broader Mijia smart-home ecosystem in India, and what other categories could we see next?
SM: For 2026, strengthening our ecosystem play has been a key focus for Xiaomi in India. We have built a strong foundation around the ‘Human’ pillar, and the ‘Home’ expansion is the next phase in our Human x Car x Home strategy.
The launch of Mijia by Xiaomi and air purifiers as its first category is therefore just the beginning. Mijia is our dedicated sub-brand for the home and lifestyle portfolio, bringing Xiaomi’s technology, innovation and connected ecosystem capabilities into consumers’ lives. We have already announced our plans to enter the large appliance category, and this expansion will continue to evolve as the opportunity and consumer journey advances.
For years, India has trusted Xiaomi in their pockets through our smartphones. With the launch of Mijia, Xiaomi is entering their living spaces. It completes our global vision of a fully connected life where phones, AIoT and home all speak the same language seamlessly.
Xiaomi has been present in India’s air purifier category since 2016 and is one of the trusted smart air purifier brands in the country. The category has a strong installed user base of approximately 180,000 users, making it a natural starting point for Mijia in India.
As we deepen our presence across home categories, Mijia by Xiaomi will serve as the unified platform for our ecosystem portfolio. It will enable us to make Xiaomi’s smart living experience more accessible through seamless integration across devices.