Buoyed by increasing number of mobile phone users, India is expected to see sales of about 220 million mobile handsets in 2011, as per latest estimates from global research group Gartner.

India, one of the fastest growing handset markets in the world, has millions of mobile phone users whose count are rising every month.

Based on current trends, Gartner has projected that about 220 million handsets are expected to be sold in India in 2011.

"Huge growth is expected in terms of mobile phone users in the coming months. The share of low end devices (in the total handsets sold) is high," Gartner's Principal Research Analyst Anshul Gupta told PTI.

Around 175 million handsets were sold last year in India.

As many as 50.7 million mobile devices and three million smartphones were sold during the first three months of 2011, Gartner estimates showed.

In the wake of substantial growth, the competition has also increased, especially with rising number of local and Chinese brands. Local and Chinese brands alone account for over 50 per cent market share.

Gupta noted that there are more than 150 brands in the Indian market.

"Price competitiveness and value for money devices from local and Chinese players are giving a tough competition to big global brands," Gartner said.

Latest figures from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) showed that mobile subscriber base in the country rose to 826.93 million at the end of April 2011.