INDIA'S IPHONE EXPORTS SURGE TO $23 BILLION IN 2025 AS SMARTPHONES BECOME THE NATION'S TOP EXPORT

India’s rise as a global manufacturing hub reached a new milestone in 2025, as iPhone exports climbed to approximately $23 billion, making smartphones the country’s leading export category for the year.

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Customs data tied to smartphone shipments shows a sharp acceleration in outbound volume, with Apple accounting for the overwhelming majority of high-value exports.

The figure marks a dramatic increase from previous years and underscores how quickly India has moved from a primarily domestic assembly base to a central node in Apple's global supply chain. Industry estimates indicate that iPhones represented roughly 76% of India’s total smartphone export shipments in 2025, with the United States absorbing the largest share of that volume.

APPLE DRIVES INDIA’S EXPORT TRANSFORMATION

Apple's expansion in India has been deliberate and multiyear. The company began assembling select iPhone models locally to meet domestic demand and reduce import duties, but production has since scaled for international markets. Today, India plays a significant role in supplying the U.S. and other regions, reflecting Apple's broader strategy to diversify manufacturing beyond China.

Several factors contributed to the export surge. India’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has provided financial incentives to electronics manufacturers, rewarding companies for increasing output and exports. That framework encouraged Apple's manufacturing partners, including Foxconn, Pegatron and Tata Electronics, to ramp up local capacity.