India Breaks Records in Smartphone Exports — Apple Leads the Way

India’s smartphone industry has reached a historic milestone. In the first quarter of financial year 2025–26 (April to June 2025), the country exported smartphones worth $7.72 billion, showing a strong 58% jump compared to $4.9 billion during the same time last year.

After confirming data from industry sources, our editorial team reports that this quarter saw India’s highest-ever smartphone exports in a single quarter — a sign of how rapidly the electronics sector is growing, with Apple emerging as the clear leader.

Apple Leads the Export Boom

American tech giant Apple Inc. contributed the lion’s share of India’s smartphone exports this quarter. Apple shipped $6 billion worth of iPhones made in India between April and June 2025. This is a huge 82% increase compared to the same quarter in the previous year.

What’s more remarkable is that Apple alone accounted for nearly 78% of all smartphones exported from India in this period. The iPhones were exported through Apple’s contract manufacturing partners like Foxconn, Wistron (now Tata Electronics), and Pegatron.

PLI Scheme Boosting Local Manufacturing

Experts say that the credit for this rapid export growth goes to India’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, which began in 2020. The scheme provides financial incentives to companies that increase local production. It has successfully attracted global smartphone makers to shift more manufacturing to India.

Here’s a quick look at the growth:

• In FY21, India exported smartphones worth $3.1 billion
• By FY25, exports reached $24.1 billion, out of which $17.5 billion came from Apple alone

These figures show how quickly India is becoming a global hub for electronics manufacturing.

Electronics Exports on the Rise

Smartphones are not the only product showing growth. India’s total electronics exports reached $12.4 billion in Q1FY26, which is a 48% rise compared to last year’s same quarter.

Out of this, smartphones alone made up 62% of the total electronics exports — higher than the 58% share seen last year. This shift indicates that India is moving beyond just assembling phones and is now engaging in value-added manufacturing, where more complex components and processes are done locally.

Other Key Contributors

Apart from Apple, other companies also played a role in boosting exports:

• Padget Electronics, a part of Dixon Technologies, exported smartphones worth $175 million
• Samsung contributed about 12% to the total smartphone exports

This shows that while Apple is leading, other companies are also expanding their role in India’s export journey.

Challenges Ahead: US Trade Investigation

While exports are booming, there’s a concern on the horizon. The United States is currently investigating under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, which deals with national security and import duties.

The investigation is expected to conclude by August 14, 2025. If the US decides to impose new import tariffs, it could disrupt global supply chains — including smartphone shipments from India to America. Industry leaders are closely watching this development.

From 167th to 1st: A Big Leap for India

It’s worth noting that back in FY15, smartphones were ranked 167th in India’s list of export products. But as per FY25 data, they are now the No. 1 export item by HS code, which shows how far India has come.

India is now being recognised as a serious global player in electronics and smartphone manufacturing, not just for domestic use but for exports to markets across the world.

📝 Editorial Note

From being a consumer of imported electronics to becoming an export powerhouse, India’s transformation in just a few years is remarkable. With continued support from government schemes and growing trust from global tech giants, India is well on its way to becoming the next global electronics hub — led by innovation, skilled workforce, and policy support.

Jan Jagran Darpan will continue to track these developments and bring you fact-verified insights.