A $50-bn puzzle: How to sell more smartphones

Eight retailers' estimates show a 15% rise in India's smartphone sales this festive season, the month before Diwali that sees over a third of yearly sales. Yet, analysts say 2025 volumes will remain below the 2021 peak in India, once world's fastest-growing market. Mint explains why.

- BY SHOUVIK DAS

A demure market A lack of new buyers, and too many roadblocks in the domestic market, mean that the smartphone economy-accounting for 40% of all electronics sales-faces the threat of a long-term stall.

1 Why are smartphone sales crucial for India?
India is the world's fifth-largest retail economy, and a tenth of retail sales come from consumer electronics. Smartphones, which bring about $50 billion annual revenue, make for over 40% of consumer electronics revenueand 4% of the $1.4 trillion domestic retail industry. This makes it a significant contributor to the GDP.