Sriperumbudur (Tamil Nadu) April 22 (IANS) Computer manufacturer Dell India Tuesday said the company would give more thrust to the laptop segment to achive a higher growth rate. “We have recently started manufacturing laptops in our Sriperumbudur plant by doubling the capacity,” Rajan Anandan, vice-president and general manager of Dell India, told reporters here. The focus on laptops is a global growth strategy for Dell Inc, he added.

“By the year 2009, the number of laptops sold will overtake the sales of desktops. The start of laptop production in India is an important step for us,” said Paul Henri Ferrand, president of Dell APACS.

According to him, the global laptop market in 2008 is estimated at around $137 billion.

Dell India is targeting the education, government, small and medium business segments for its Dell 500 model laptop that is priced upwards of Rs.24,500 depending the configuration.

The model, designed for Indian and Chinese markets, offers the choice of pre-loaded Microsoft Windows XP Home or Ubuntu Linux full application suite, and features like an 8in1 card reader and direct multimedia playback buttons.

Asked about the company’s plans to bring its vendors to India, Kip G. Thompson, vice-president of Global Facilities and Strategic Growth, complained that the Indian tax structure (excise duty, sales tax and Octroi), and other logistics issues were discouraging factors for vendors.

The company also expressed satisfaction over the retail tie-up it has clinched with Tata group’s Croma chain.