India’s smartphone exports reached an all-time high of Rs 1.55 trillion from April 2024 to January 2025, marking a 56 per cent increase from Rs 991.2 billion in the same period of FY24. The surge was primarily driven by the government’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, with January 2025 alone witnessing record exports of Rs 250 billion—140 per cent higher than January 2024.
The PLI scheme, introduced in April 2020 and fully implemented in April 2021, has played a crucial role in India’s emergence as a global smartphone manufacturing hub. Exports have been rising consistently, from Rs 233.9 billion in FY21 to Rs 1.31 trillion in FY24. This steady growth has elevated smartphones from India’s 67th largest export a decade ago to the second-largest today.
Apple’s iPhone vendors accounted for nearly 70 per cent of total smartphone exports. Foxconn’s Tamil Nadu facility contributed approximately half of Apple’s exports, marking a 43 per cent increase from the previous fiscal year. Tata Electronics, which took over Wistron’s operations and ramped up production at its Karnataka unit, contributed nearly 22 per cent, while Pegatron, based in Tamil Nadu, accounted for 12 per cent. Samsung contributed approximately 20 per cent, with the remaining share coming from domestic firms and merchant exports.
Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw expects India’s smartphone exports to hit USD 20 billion (Rs 1.68 trillion) by the end of FY25, further solidifying India’s position in the global supply chain.
The PLI scheme provides financial incentives to boost domestic manufacturing and attract foreign investment, particularly in large-scale electronics manufacturing. The telecom segment of the PLI scheme alone has attracted Rs 3,400 crore in investments, driven telecom equipment production past Rs 50,000 crore and generated exports worth Rs 10,500 crore. This initiative has also created over 17,800 direct jobs, along with many indirect employment opportunities.
