They are conducting consumer research to identify the domestic market needs and specific consumer requirements such as high-quality sound.

The design elements are aimed at either adding value to minimise costs or adding a premium touch.

Sharad Dahake, deputy manager (R&D-Industrial Design), LG Electronic India, said, "At LG we are adding Indianness as a design element in our product range to make them premium." LG launched its first Indian designed range of 21 inches and 29 inches televisions in mid-2006.

LG commissioned an ethnicity study by Onio Designs on consumer preference for television sets.

The study revealed that while Europeans prefer television sets with simple straight lines and black and silver panels, Indians prefer colours such as maroon and gold that reflect Indianness and rounded corners.

LG will launch a new range of televisions for the growing upmarket segment by mid-2007, which will incorporate these design elements.

While Indianness is a requirement for the upmarket segment, in the rural India possessing a TV is considered a symbol of social status as the customers there prefer bigger televisions.

Onida recently launched its Marvel range, a wider model that enhances the big look. "This model is doing well in the rural areas," said Vivek Sharma, head, marketing and sales, Onida.

At Samsung, which has set up its India R&D Centre in 2000, the initial focus for the first two years was customisation of Samsung products for the Indian market.

Eventually, the company developed the Metallica series, a sound-oriented colour television series for the domestic market and since then the Samsung flat colour televisions are designed as per Indian consumer preferences.

Products designed for India are finding success in the exports markets as well. "Our designs have been successful in India and also in the export markets like Middle East, South Africa and SAARC," said Samsung executives and added that by 2010, India will be a design hub.

April 2005 onwards, Samsung 'Made in India' refrigerators have been offering features such as cool pack which maintains the freezer temperature even in case of power failure, framed tough glass shelves to bear heavier loads, a high versatility compressor to operate at voltages as low as 135 volts and as high as 290 volts, eliminating the need for stabiliser.

Samsung is also exporting the products to Middle East, CIS and SAARC Countries.