Samsung India's public affairs head Rajiv Aggarwal has quit
What's the story
Rajiv Aggarwal, the head of public affairs and ESG at Samsung India, has resigned after nearly four years in the role. His departure comes as a surprise, with the exact reason for his exit still unclear. Aggarwal has been instrumental in managing Samsung's relations with the Indian government during his tenure.
Career path
Aggarwal's experience and Samsung's market position
Before joining Samsung in late 2022, Aggarwal held senior public policy positions at Meta and Uber. He also served as an Indian Administrative Service officer for several years.
Despite his departure, Samsung remains a major player in India's smartphone market with a 16.2% share, tied with OPPO and just behind Vivo.
In 2023, it was India's number one smartphone player.
Legal battles
Legal challenges over e-waste policy
Samsung has also been embroiled in legal battles over an Indian government policy that hikes payments businesses have to make to electronic-waste recyclers.
The policy is a key focus for electronics manufacturers as India looks to boost formal e-waste recycling and strengthen its broader electronics manufacturing ecosystem.
Aggarwal was at the forefront of these engagements during his time at Samsung India.
Government demands
Pre-installation of state apps and expansion in India
Samsung and Apple have also been asked by the Indian government to pre-install state-run applications on their smartphones.
The companies have opposed this move on privacy grounds.
Despite these challenges, Samsung has expanded its manufacturing and research footprint in India over the years, making it a key market and production hub for the South Korean giant.