India’s smartphone exports beat estimates, cross Rs. 1,82,448 crore (US$ 21 billion) in FY25 so far

NEW DELHI : India’s mobile phone exports crossed Rs. 1,82,448 crore (US$ 21 billion) in the first 11 months of FY25, exceeding the projection by Union Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, who estimated Rs. 1,73,760 crore (US$ 20 billion) in exports with one month remaining. This marks a 54% increase compared to the same period in FY24, as per the India Cellular & Electronics Association. Independent estimates suggest Apple Inc. contributed Rs. 1,25,000 crore (US$ 14.39 billion), with iPhone exports accounting for nearly 70% of total smartphone exports.   

In Q1 FY25, smartphone exports reached Rs. 42,137 crore (US$ 4.85 billion), 30% higher than in Q1 FY24. By H1, exports stood at Rs. 72,979 crore (US$ 8.4 billion), up 30% from Rs. 56,472 crore (US$ 6.5 billion) in H1 of FY24. The Q3 FY25 was the strongest, with exports surpassing Rs. 17,376 crore (US$ 2 billion) per month, totalling Rs. 59,078 crore (US$ 6.8 billion). In the first two months of Q4, another Rs. 48,653 crore (US$ 5.6 billion) was added, pushing the total to Rs. 182,448 crore (US$ 21 billion). Since October 2024, monthly exports have consistently exceeded Rs. 17,376 crore (US$ 2 billion), compared to a peak of Rs. 14,248 crore (US$ 1.64 billion) in FY23 and Rs. 16,507 crore (US$ 1.9 billion) in FY24. Apple’s vendors—Foxconn, Tata Electronics, and Pegatron—accounted for 70% of exports, with the remainder led by Samsung and Indian brands.

The US and Europe remain key markets, with 50–55% of exports headed to the US. Smartphones have become India’s largest export to the US by Harmonised System classification, surpassing non-industrial diamonds. The government is actively considering a production-linked incentive scheme to enhance value addition and integrate more Indian micro, small, and medium enterprises into global supply chains.