Is LG Indian? Listed in India, Controlled from Seoul

LG is in an enormous number of Indian homes — the refrigerator, the washing machine, the air conditioner, the television, the microwave. Alongside Samsung, it has led Indian consumer durables for more than two decades, and it manufactures extensively in India.

In 2025, something changed: LG's Indian arm listed on Indian stock exchanges, so Indian investors can now own a piece of it. Does that make LG Indian?

The short answer: No — LG is foreign-controlled, by its South Korean parent.

The parent

LG Electronics India operates as a subsidiary of LG Electronics Inc., headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, part of the LG Group conglomerate. LG entered India in 1997 and built factories in Greater Noida and Pune, becoming one of the country's leading appliance and electronics makers.

The 2025 IPO

In October 2025, LG Electronics India Ltd listed on the BSE and NSE. The IPO was entirely an offer for sale: the Korean parent sold roughly 15% of its Indian subsidiary to the public. No new money went into the Indian company — the proceeds went to the parent in Seoul.

After the listing, LG Electronics Inc. still holds roughly 85% of the Indian entity. Indian retail and institutional investors own a minority slice of the float.

Why a listing doesn't make a company Indian

This is the same pattern we have seen with Hindustan Unilever, Nestlé India, and Hyundai Motor India: a foreign parent lists its Indian subsidiary on Indian exchanges but keeps a commanding majority. Indian shareholders get a share of the dividends; the foreign parent gets most of them, plus strategic control, plus any royalties for brand and technology.

A listing on the NSE tells you where the shares trade. It does not tell you who controls the company. For LG, control and roughly 85% of the economic ownership remain in Seoul.

Made in India, owned in Korea

As with Samsung, LG's Indian manufacturing is real and substantial — factories, jobs, and supplier networks in India. But manufacturing location and ownership are separate questions. When you buy an LG appliance, you support Indian factory employment, while the brand-level profit flows mostly to South Korea.

The Indian alternatives

• Air conditioners: Voltas (Tata), Blue Star, and Lloyd (Havells) — all Indian-owned
• Refrigerators and washing machines: Godrej Appliances — Indian-owned
• Fans, lighting, and small appliances: Havells, Crompton, Bajaj Electricals, Orient — Indian-owned

The verdict

LG is foreign-controlled — LG Electronics Inc. of South Korea holds roughly 85% of LG Electronics India even after its 2025 listing. The IPO made LG investable for Indians; it did not make LG Indian. Voltas, Blue Star, Lloyd, and Godrej are the Indian-owned alternatives across most of LG's categories.

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