India-based handset vendor Micromax has begun shipping its smartphones to Russia with plans to enter into other markets in Europe in 2014, according to sources in Taiwan's handset supply chain.

　　Micromax began to test the Russia market with its large-size sub INR20,000 (US$325) smartphone, the Canvas Turbo, which comes with a 5-inch Full HD IPS display, a MediaTek 1.5GHz quad-core 6589T processor, a 13-megapixel camera and a 2,000mAh battery.

　　Micromax ranked as the second largest smartphone brand in India in the second quarter of 2013 with a 22% market share, trailing only after Samsung Electronics (26%) but ahead of local rival Karbonn (13%) and other international brands including Apple, Nokia, Sony Mobile Communications, the sources revealed.

　　Optimizing their strong sales in the local market, Micromax, Karbonn and other India-based brands have also stepped up efforts to boost sales in overseas markets, particularly in Southeast Asia, the sources noted.

　　Like China-based smartphone vendors, India-based handset vendors are also leveraging the handset supply chain in China for the production of smartphones with high levels of hardware specifications and yet with prices targeting the entry-level to mid-range segment, said the sources.