India’s smartphone exports have hit a record high.
Within merely five months of the 2025-26 financial year, consignments surpassed ₹1 lakh crore, or nearly $1 trillion as per trade and state figures.
The Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) program, initiated in 2020, remains the chief catalyst of this rapid expansion in domestic production.
PLI Push and Export Surge
The jump represents a 55 per cent increase compared with the same period last year. It also surpasses the entire 2022-23 figure of ₹90,000 crore.
Under the PLI scheme, companies earn 4-6 per cent incentives on incremental sales of phones made in India, provided they meet strict investment and production targets.
Apple has been the biggest beneficiary. Along with contract partners Tata Electronics and Foxconn, it shipped nearly ₹75,000 crore worth of smartphones, accounting for three-fourths of total exports.
Samsung has also scaled up production, contributing to the record surge.
The United States has emerged as the top market. India, in April-June 2025, outstripped China as the leading supplier of smartphones to the American market.
Other geographies witnessed rapid export growth, showing India’s rise as a global supply platform.
Strategic Gains and Future Targets
The PLI scheme has reshaped India’s electronics sector. Previously dependent on imports, the nation has maintained continuous export gains in mobiles since 2018-19.
Large-scale output has spurred hiring, increased taxation income, and minimised dependence on imported devices.
India is also climbing up the value chain, though most operations still focus on assembly. Lawmakers emphasise the importance of moving into high-value component production to ensure durable growth.
By 2025, India had already become the world’s third-largest mobile phone exporter, with shipments worth $20.5 billion.
Industry leaders are now calling for ‘PLI 2.0’ to keep the momentum strong. The scheme’s second phase is seen as vital to achieving the government’s goal of $500 billion in electronics output by 2030.
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