Smartphones, PC assembly lines may queue up for India

India to gain from China's decline in smartphone output: Report

- SURAJEET DAS GUPTA

India is expected to benefit from a tariff war between China and the US, with global smartphone and laptop/personal computer (PC) companies considering shifting part or more of their production from China to India.

Counterpoint Research estimates, based on discussions with global companies, that China's domination in smartphone manufacturing will decline, with its share of global production falling sharply to 55 per cent by 2026 from 64 per cent in 2024—if tariff impositions and tensions continue.

During the same period, India is expected to be a major beneficiary, with its share of global smartphone production rising from 18 per cent in 2024 to 25-28 per cent by 2026. A large part of this will be due to the ramping up of exports from India by Apple Inc, and also Samsung, especially to the US.