Nokia announced the establishment of a new design studio in India, being the first from a series of satellite design studios the Finnish company wants to open in "design hot spots" all over the world. After inaugurating the design studio at its global headquarters in Espoo earlier this year, Nokia chose India for its new studio, showcasing the growing importance the country has for the mobile industry. A 2-year collaboration with the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology in Bangalore makes the establishment of the studio possible, allowing Indian designers and Nokia designers to work together on fresh design concepts.

Alastair Curtis, Chief Designer of Nokia, declared: "India is a dynamic and inspiring place for designers with its diverse mix of cultures, traditions and color. The new satellite studio will help us further develop our understanding of this vibrant country and to work more closely with its extremely talented designers. Reflecting India's status as one of the hottest countries for design right now I expect our work here to influence not only our thinking on new design trends and ideas for India, but also for many other markets around the world."

The studio is to be run by a committed team of designers from Nokia who will work with authorized designers from India and with Srishti School's students. Research regarding design themes and trends will be made, as well as research about new uses and features of mobile devices or mobile internet's implications for design.

"Nokia's investment reflects the growing importance of India's designers and the wealth of new talent being developed here," said Ms. Geetha Narayanan, Founder and Director of Srishti. "This studio gives the talent of tomorrow the opportunity to work with experienced Nokia designers from around the world. This exposure to world class designers in one of the fastest growing product category in the world will be a huge opportunity for the students in India".

300 designers of 34 nationalities are currently working for Nokia, exploring innovative materials, colors and design trends. The Bangalore design studio is part of Nokia's plan to invest more in design. The company intends to open another design studio this year for its design team based in London.