Apple Leads India’s Export Boom
India’s smartphone industry has achieved a remarkable milestone, with exports crossing ₹1 trillion in the first five months of FY26 — a 55% jump compared to the same period last year. At the heart of this surge is Apple, whose contract manufacturers Tata Electronics and Foxconn are steering the lion’s share of shipments. This success story highlights India’s growing role in global electronics supply chains, even as geopolitical tensions reshape trade flows.
Apple’s Expanding Footprint
Apple’s presence in India has grown rapidly, supported by the government’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. Tata and Foxconn alone contributed more than ₹75,000 crore — nearly three-fourths of India’s smartphone exports in this period. Mass production facilities in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are driving the company’s expansion, with most of the output being directed to meet soaring US demand.
In fact, nearly 78% of iPhones shipped to the US in early 2025 were made in India, up from 53% a year earlier. This shift underscores how quickly India is rising as Apple’s alternative to China for large-scale production.
India Gains as China Slips
The trade statistics tell a larger story. India now accounts for 44% of US smartphone imports, while China’s share has plummeted from 61% to 25% by mid-2024. Year-on-year, the production of “Made-in-India” smartphones has leapt by 240%. Alongside Vietnam, India is firmly positioning itself as a pillar in the global electronics supply chain, attracting investments from companies looking to diversify beyond China.
Beyond Apple: Others Join In
While Apple’s pace is unmatched, other brands are also contributing to India’s export boom. Samsung has shifted part of its global production to India, while Motorola is gradually increasing shipments from the country. However, their reliance on Vietnam and China, respectively, means their contribution remains modest compared to Apple’s dominance.
India’s domestic base has also matured significantly. The country now hosts more than 300 mobile manufacturing units, up from just two in 2014. Today, nearly every phone sold in India — 99.2% — is manufactured locally, compared with only 26% a decade ago.
A Defining Moment for India
India’s smartphone export surge is more than a statistical achievement; it signals a strategic repositioning in the global economy. Apple’s dominance has been the catalyst, but the broader ecosystem — powered by policy incentives, manufacturing scale, and geopolitical shifts — has enabled this leap. For India, the challenge ahead is to sustain this momentum, diversify beyond Apple, and cement its place as a long-term leader in global electronics.
(With agency inputs)
