Tablets Find More Takers in India Than Ever Before

Tablets are finally picking up pace in a market where laptops were always preferred

- Shouvik Das

Delhi-based corporate professional, Subhajit Sengupta, snagged an Apple iPad last year in e-commerce platform Amazon's early-season sale. Today, the 11-inch tablet is a permanent feature in Sengupta's travel ensemble, who does not own a personal laptop any longer. "My office-issued laptop suffices for any physical presentations that I have to host. But, for any other visual work, I can comfortably do that on my iPad—and that makes it convenient to travel with," Sengupta said, who uses his iPad for both work and recreation on three out of five work days.

Sengupta is not an exception. Last year, sales of tablet devices to consumers grew to 2.6 million units—up 24% since 2023, as per data shared with Mint by market researcher International Data Corporation (IDC) India. Growth of tablet sales were driven by rising demand among consumers for a large-screen device that's better-suited for both work and entertainment than smartphones.

As a result, analysts expect tablets to outsell laptops in India for the first time ever—as more buyers find value in the sleek profile of tablets. This growth is without taking into account mass orders for entry-level tablets that government bodies place annually, largely for education projects in rural districts.