PLI Push Drives India’s Smartphone Exports to Record $30 Billion in 2025

New Delhi  -India’s smartphone exports are estimated to have reached an all-time high of around $30 billion in 2025, largely propelled by the government’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, according to industry sources.

Data indicates that exports in 2025 alone accounted for nearly 38 per cent of India’s total smartphone exports over the last five years. Between 2021 and 2025, cumulative smartphone exports stood at approximately $79.03 billion, with 2025 recording the highest annual export value so far. Apple’s iPhone shipments dominated this period, contributing nearly 75 per cent of total exports, valued at over $22 billion.

The export figure of more than $30 billion in 2025 represents a sharp 47 per cent rise compared to the $20.45 billion achieved in the preceding 12-month period. Overall electronics exports from India crossed Rs 4 trillion in 2025, Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw said, adding that exports are set to grow further with the rollout of domestic semiconductor manufacturing.

“Electronics exports crossed Rs 4 trillion in 2025, generating employment and earning foreign exchange. This momentum will continue into 2026 as four semiconductor fabrication units enter commercial production,” Vaishnaw said in a recent social media post.

Official estimates also show that India’s electronics production reached about Rs 11.3 lakh crore during the 2024–25 financial year.

Industry data reveals that, for the first time since manufacturing began in 2021, Apple’s iPhone exports from India surpassed Rs 2 lakh crore in 2025. Apple’s exports surged nearly 85 per cent compared to 2024. The company currently operates five iPhone assembly units in India—three run by Tata Group companies and two by Foxconn.

India has now emerged as the world’s second-largest mobile phone manufacturer, with more than 99 per cent of smartphones sold domestically being produced within the country, reflecting a steady climb up the manufacturing value chain.

The smartphone PLI scheme is set to end 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 window.

With inputs from IANS