Apple powers India’s smartphone export boom, shipments soar 54% to ₹1.82 lakh crore in FY25

India’s smartphone exports have soared to a staggering ₹1,82,448 crore ($21 billion) in the first 11 months of FY25, marking a 54% rise compared to the same period in FY24, according to data released by the India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA). With one month still to go, the figure has already exceeded the ₹1,73,760 crore ($20 billion) estimate projected by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Independent estimates place Apple Inc. as the undisputed leader in India’s smartphone exports, shipping out a remarkable ₹1,25,000 crore ($14.39 billion), with iPhones alone accounting for nearly 70% of total smartphone exports. “Apple’s vendors—Foxconn, Tata Electronics, and Pegatron—accounted for 70% of exports, with the remainder led by Samsung and Indian brands,” the report said.

Tata Electronics, which acquired Wistron’s smartphone manufacturing factory in Karnataka, contributed 22% of total exports. Another 12% of shipments came from Tamil Nadu’s Pegatron facility, where Tata secured a 60% stake by the end of January. With the acquisition of two Taiwanese giants, Tata Group has established itself as a key player in India’s iPhone production. South Korean tech giant Samsung has contributed 20% of the country’s total smartphone exports.

India’s smartphone exports totalled ₹42,137 crore ($4.85 billion) in Q1 FY25, marking a 30% increase over Q1 FY24. The momentum accelerated in H1, with exports reaching ₹72,979 crore ($8.4 billion), outpacing the ₹56,472 crore ($6.5 billion) recorded in H1 of the previous year.

The third quarter saw a sharp rise, with monthly shipments consistently exceeding ₹17,376 crore ($2 billion). The quarter closed with a record ₹59,078 crore ($6.8 billion).

In the first two months of Q4, exports added another ₹48,653 crore ($5.6 billion), pushing the total to ₹1,82,448 crore. “Since October 2024, monthly exports have consistently exceeded ₹17,376 crore ($2 billion), compared to a peak of ₹14,248 crore ($1.64 billion) in FY23 and ₹16,507 crore ($1.9 billion) in FY24.”

The US and Europe remain key markets, with the US alone accounting for a massive 50-55% of total exports. India’s smartphones have now become the top export to the US by Harmonised System classification, surpassing non-industrial diamonds.

“The government is actively considering a production-linked incentive scheme to enhance value addition and integrate more Indian micro, small, and medium enterprises into global supply chains,” it added.