India’s Ministry of Power is expected to procure 200 million LED light bulbs via open bids in 2018, with Philips Lighting and Ledvance expected to remain as the largest two competitors.
As reported by Digitimes, the ministry, in line with its Domestic Efficient Lighting Program, in 2014 began to distribute LED light bulbs to households to replace incandescent ones in a bid to save energy.
The ministry procured 100-150 million LED light bulbs in 2017, with Philips Lighting supply of 50-60 million units and Ledvance 25 million units, the sources said. As the ministry aims to have traditional lighting completely replaced with LED lighting in 2019, its procurement of LED lights bulbs in 2018 is expected to rise to 200 million units.
The ministry in 2015 aimed to keep average procurement cost per LED light bulb down to INR44 (US$0.66). Philips Lighting offered INR38 to win a bid to supply 50 million 9W bulbs in second-half 2016.
Originally Osram’s lamp business unit, Ledvance is now owned mainly by China-based LED packaging service provider MLS, offering price-competitive products in emerging markets by leveraging MLS’ large production capacity.
