The Indian dream for Apple is materializing at an unprecedented pace. In just 10 months of FY25 (April 2024 to January 2025), iPhone exports from the country have touched a record Rs 1 lakh crore, riding on the government’s production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme and setting new benchmarks in global smartphone supply chains.
According to industry data, exports of iPhones in January alone stood at Rs 19,000 crore, an all-time monthly high. The number is over a 30% rise in comparison with the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year when iPhone exports from India totalled Rs 76,000 crore.
Marking the milestone, Union Minister for Railways and Electronics & IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw took to X and posted, “Another record performance under the PLI scheme. PLI propels iPhone exports past Rs 1 lakh crore in just 10 months of FY25.”
The minister further predicted that smartphone exports from India will cross the Rs 2.25 lakh crore mark this fiscal year.
Must Read: Apple iPhone exports from India cross ₹1 Trillion in 2024
India: The Emerging Global iPhone Hub
From an assembly destination, India has rapidly emerged as one of the major manufacturing hubs for Apple globally. With an annual production capacity of over 325 million mobile phones and nearly a billion devices in active use, the country is slowly and increasingly becoming strategically crucial to the global supply chain for smartphones.
Earlier, Apple CEO Tim Cook highlighted India’s potential: “We set a December quarter record where the iPhone was the top-selling model in the country for the October-December period of 2024.”
Apple’s Surging Presence in India
Strategic expansion by Apple has reshaped the smartphone landscape in India. iPhones reached a 7% market share in 2024, helped by strong local production and rising premiumization trends in smaller cities. According to CMR, Apple saw a 23% yearly growth in iPhone sales, while iPads saw a massive 44% jump.
The October-December quarter (Q4) of 2024 further sealed the deal for Apple as the tech giant made it into India’s top 5 smartphone brands for the first time, grabbing an almost 10% market share by volume.
With shipments from India likely to cross 11 million iPhones in 2024, Apple’s bet on India is paying off. From Make in India to Export from India, the nation is fast becoming one of the critical pillars in Apple’s global supply chain, redefining its status as a consumer market to that of a manufacturing powerhouse.
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