Apple’s iPhone Exports from India Cross $50 Billion Under PLI Scheme

New Delhi — US technology major Apple has reached a significant milestone under India’s smartphone Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, with iPhone exports from the country crossing $50 billion by December 2025, according to industry data.

The export figure is expected to increase further, as three months remain in Apple’s five-year eligibility window under the PLI scheme. In the first nine months of FY26 alone, iPhone exports stood at nearly $16 billion, taking cumulative shipments during the PLI period beyond the $50 billion mark.

In comparison, Samsung exported devices worth around $17 billion during its five-year PLI eligibility period from FY21 to FY25.

Apple’s manufacturing presence in India currently includes five iPhone assembly facilities—three operated by Tata Group entities and two by Foxconn. These plants are supported by a supply chain of approximately 45 companies, including several MSMEs supplying components for both domestic consumption and global markets.

Driven primarily by iPhone shipments, which accounted for about 75 per cent of total smartphone exports, smartphones emerged as India’s single largest export category in FY25. This marks a dramatic rise from 2015, when smartphones ranked 167th among the country’s export items.

India has now become the world’s second-largest mobile phone producer, with over 99 per cent of phones sold in the domestic market being manufactured locally. The country has also steadily moved up the manufacturing value chain.

The smartphone PLI scheme is scheduled to conclude in March 2026, although the government is reportedly considering options to extend support. Under revised guidelines, companies are permitted to claim incentives for any five consecutive years within a six-year period.

Apple’s suppliers, along with Samsung, were also selected under the electronics component manufacturing scheme. Samsung is expected to set up a display module sub-assembly unit, which is likely to generate employment for around 300 people.

According to a new report, Apple sold approximately 6.5 million iPhone 16 units in the first 11 months of 2025, making it the highest-selling smartphone model in India during that period. Data from Counterpoint Research showed that Apple outperformed its Android rivals, with the iPhone 15 also featuring among the top five best-selling smartphones.

—With inputs from IANS