India’s tablet market recorded growth in the first quarter of 2026, supported by rising demand from consumers, educational institutions, enterprises and government-led digitalisation projects, according to Counterpoint Research.

The Indian tablet market experienced 5% growth in Q1 2026 despite the rising memory price pressure and the uncertain market conditions. The growth has due to the evolution on both the demand and supply sides, with consumers continuing to have a growing inclination towards the larger screen sizes, 5G capabilities and higher configurations. Tablets are also seen as a value-efficient alternative to laptops and smartphones amid sharp memory price increases across categories. On the supply side, domestic manufacturing has been growing strongly as more brands shift their portfolios towards localized products.

The market continued to witness a shift toward premium and productivity-focused devices, reflecting changing consumer preferences beyond content consumption and entertainment. Higher-priced tablets, particularly those equipped with improved processing capabilities, larger displays and productivity features, saw stronger traction during the quarter.

“Strengthening the trend has been the Idea Tab series by Lenovo and the Samsung Ultra series, which have shown decent performance over the quarters. Q1 2026 was essentially the launch period for Apple and Xiaomi, both of which launched at least one product with a larger than 12-inch display, further supporting the larger screen trend,” the report stated.

On the supply side, domestic manufacturing expanded further, growing 61% YoY in volume terms. Samsung continues its strong lead in domestically produced tablets. Lenovo has pivoted its portfolio towards localized products, while Xiaomi and OnePlus have been benefiting from local production. Over the past few quarters, more brands have expanded their domestic manufacturing capabilities, including realme and OPPO, further strengthening the manufacturing ecosystem. 

Premiumisation fuels demand

Principal Analyst of Counterpoint Research Anshika Jain noted, “Lenovo recaptured the second position in the Indian Tablet Market after eight quarters. The key factor for growth was the increased domestic production and the sustained demand for the Idea Tab series within the larger display category. Another key change was the entry of OnePlus into the top five, driven by the strong performance of the Pad Lite and Go 2 series over the quarters, which too are being domestically produced. Exports continue their expansion, reaching more than 200 thousand units during the quarter, with more brands like realme exploring the export market. There is positive momentum in domestic manufacturing and consumer demand, which is helping the tablet market to grow even during adverse market conditions.” 

Consumers are now inclining towards larger screen sizes. The tablet screen size used to sit between a smartphone and a laptop; however, the lines between the categories keep getting blurred as each encroaches on the other’s defined landscape area.

As per Counterpoint, tablets with 13-inch+ screens saw a steep rise of 338% in shipments on a year-on-year basis. Whereas 11-inches and 12-inches screen sizes noted a 29% and 76% increase each in the same time period. Shipments of tablets under 10 inches declined by 52% and the 10-10.99 inches segment recorded a sharp decline of 76% in a year-on-year basis.

Aligning with the report, Jain said that the market is seeing an increased preference for larger screen sizes, as consumers are using tablets as both a media consumption device and a productivity tool. This is strengthening the premiumisation trend as consumers demand higher configurations and better displays. “In Q1 2026, the market experienced a double-digit increase in average selling prices. Though the memory cost inflation also affected the prices, its impact was relatively limited in the quarter. The rising memory price impact is expected to become more evident from Q2 as brands increase prices to manage margin and cost pressure," Jain said.