Huawei Mobiles: Why They Aren’t in India (And Can You Still Buy One in 2025?)
Are you searching for a Huawei Mobile? You’ve probably heard about their legendary cameras (like the new Pura 70 series) and groundbreaking tech. But when you check Amazon or Flipkart, you either find old models or, more likely, “Currently Unavailable.”
So, what happened? Why did a brand that once competed directly with Samsung and Apple suddenly vanish from the Indian market?
This article explains the truth behind Huawei’s disappearance and tells you the only ways (and risks) to buy a new Huawei phone in India today.
The Real Problem: Why Did Huawei Disappear from India?
The short answer: Google.
Back in 2019-2020, a US trade ban was imposed on Huawei. This ban blocked US companies, including Google, from doing business with them. As a result, Google had to revoke Huawei’s license for Google Mobile Services (GMS).
What does this mean?
- New Huawei phones cannot have the Google Play Store.
- Core apps like Gmail, Google Maps, and YouTube will not run.
- Huawei was forced to develop its own operating system (HarmonyOS) and its own App Store (AppGallery).
In a market like India, where 99% of users rely on Google’s ecosystem, a phone without the Play Store is a non-starter. Because of this, Huawei officially stopped launching new phones in India.
What About “Honor” Mobiles?
This is the most common point of confusion. Honor was once a sub-brand of Huawei.
However, after the US ban, Huawei sold the Honor brand to a different company to save it.
As a result, Honor is now a completely independent company. They are back in the Indian market (with phones like the Honor 90 and Honor X9b) and, most importantly, new Honor phones have full access to the Google Play Store and all Google apps.
So, if you’re looking for Huawei-like build quality, you should be looking at “Honor” instead.
How to Buy a Huawei Mobile in India in 2025?
Okay, so you don’t care about Google. You just want that amazing camera hardware. Can you still get one? Yes, but in two ways.
1. Old / Refurbished Models
You might find old stock (like a Huawei P30 Pro) on some sites. This phone was released before the ban and has Google apps. However, it’s now 5+ years old. The battery will be weak, and it won’t get security updates. This is not a good option.
2. “Imported” Models
This is the only real way. Websites like designinfo.in (one of your competitors) are directly importing new models like the Huawei Pura 70 Ultra from China or Dubai and selling them in India.
But before you buy, you MUST understand these 3 risks:
- NO GOOGLE APPS: This is the biggest deal-breaker. You cannot use the Play Store.
- NO OFFICIAL WARRANTY: This is an imported unit. You will have no official Huawei India warranty. If the phone breaks, repairs will be extremely difficult and expensive.
- HIGH PRICE: Due to import duties, these phones are sold for a much higher price than their original cost.
Conclusion: Should You Buy a Huawei Mobile?
For 99% of Users: NO. If you use Gmail, YouTube, Google Maps, or any app from the Play Store, do not buy an imported Huawei phone. It will be a frustrating and expensive paperweight. Instead, check out the new Honor phones (which have Google) or other flagships from Samsung, Apple, or OnePlus.
For Tech Enthusiasts: AT YOUR OWN RISK. If you are a tech expert, understand how to “sideload” apps, and are willing to live without Google just to have the best camera hardware in the world, then (and only then) can you consider buying an imported model at your own risk.