Oppo has reportedly started cutting jobs at its Realme business in India, just weeks after formally reintegrating the smartphone brand as a sub-label, signalling a sharper push to rein in costs and eliminate overlapping roles.
The initial phase of layoffs is expected to impact Realme’s sales and support teams in India, with further reductions likely across other functions in the coming months.
According to people familiar with the matter, affected employees have been asked to resign by April 30 as the company rolls out a revised organisational structure.
Realme was officially brought back under Oppo on January 7, 2026, reverting to its original status as a sub-brand. At the time, both companies said they would retain distinct brand identities and continue operating independently, even as they explored ways to share internal resources. However, recent restructuring efforts suggest a deeper consolidation than previously indicated. “the following decision was done… to potentially cut costs in production, researching and developing together,” statement on Realme’s website read.
A report by Moneycontrol, citing a person with direct knowledge of the developments, said Realme India’s sales staff have already been informed of the new reporting structure, with certain roles being phased out to remove duplication. Oppo has already completed a similar integration of Realme’s operations in China.
“This adjustment is part of realme India’s ongoing organisational optimisation and is in line with normal industry benchmarks,” according to a Realme Spokesperson. “This adjustment is unrelated to any other brands. Our products, retail presence, and service commitments remain fully unaffected. realme remains deeply committed to the Indian market and will continue to uphold our mission of making technology more accessible, serving millions of users, and creating sustained long-term value.”
In India, the process is unfolding more cautiously. People aware of the situation said ongoing legal and regulatory considerations are limiting how aggressively Oppo can move, though the direction of travel is clear.
“In China, this has already been done. In India, it’s a bit different right now because there are ongoing legal issues involving Oppo. So they can’t move as aggressively here, but this will happen gradually and across functions,” a person close to the matter told Moneycontrol, requesting anonymity.
The integration was initially positioned as a resource-pooling exercise rather than a full-scale merger of teams. But the reported job cuts point to a broader cost rationalisation effort as Oppo seeks to streamline operations in one of its largest overseas markets, amid intensifying competition in India’s smartphone sector.
According to people familiar with the restructuring, changes began with teams supporting sales and service functions.
Employees in these areas were informed of shifts in reporting lines, while some positions were deemed redundant as Oppo works to unify marketing, service and support infrastructure across both brands. The exercise is not expected to be a one-off and could extend to additional departments over time.