10 Popular Brands That You Thought Were Indian But Are Not

Sagar Puri
Mar 29, 2023

Bata

Bata is one of India's favorite footwear brands and many people believe it to be an Indian brand, but the actual headquarters of Bata is in Switzerland. The company was founded in 1894.

Maggi

Maggi can be found anywhere in India, be it the hills, the beaches or the cities. But, unfortunately Maggi is not an Indian brand either. Maggi is owned by Nestle, a Swiss multinational company.

Colgate

Nearly every Indian has used Colgate at least once in their lives, and many people believe it to be an Indian brand, however Colgate is owned by Colgate-Palmolive, a US consumer products firm.

Indian Motorcycles

Naturally, with "Indian" in its name, one would assume that this is a desi company, but its not. The word "Indian" in the name really alludes to American Indians, the indigenous people of the United States.

Boost

Everyone in India has probably heard or read the phrase "Boost is the secret of our energy" from our beloved cricketers and might have thought that it's an Indian brand but it has its roots in Switzerland.

Hindustan Unilever

Hindustan Unilever produces practically everything under the sun, including soaps, detergent, coffee. Despite having "Hindustan" in its name, the business is actually a British-Dutch conglomerate.

Tide

A popular detergent brand that is part of almost every Indian household but, it doesn’t belong to India. Tide is actually manufactured by Procter & Gamble, an American company.

Bose Speakers

Many people think Bose speakers is an Indian Brand. However, this world-renowned audio products company is an American brand which is based in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Gudang Garam Cigarettes

From the name it seems it is an Indian brand but these spiced cigarettes actually belong to Indonesia. The brand was founded by Tjoa Ing Hwie who later changed his name to Surya Wonowidjojo.

Lifebuoy

Every Indian is familiar with Lifebuoy. It’s India’s favourite soap that everyone trusts. But, its not an Indian brand. It finds its origins in England and is owned by Procter and Gamble.

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