NEW DELHI– Apple has crossed a major milestone under India’s smartphone production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, with iPhone exports from the country surpassing $50 billion by December 2025, according to industry data.
The export figure is expected to rise further, with three months still remaining in Apple’s five-year eligibility period under the PLI program. In the first nine months of FY26 alone, iPhone exports totaled nearly $16 billion, pushing cumulative shipments during the PLI period beyond the $50 billion mark.
In comparison, Samsung exported devices worth about $17 billion during its five-year participation in the scheme from FY21 to FY25.
Apple’s manufacturing presence in India currently includes five iPhone assembly plants, three operated by Tata Group entities and two by Foxconn. These facilities are supported by a supply chain of around 45 companies, including several MSMEs that supply components for both domestic production and global exports.
Smartphones, driven largely by iPhone shipments that accounted for roughly 75 percent of total exports, 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 also become the world’s second-largest mobile phone producer, with more than 99 percent of phones sold domestically now manufactured in the country. Industry officials say this reflects India’s steady move up the electronics manufacturing value chain.
The smartphone PLI scheme is scheduled to conclude in March 2026, although the government is reportedly examining options to extend support for the sector. Under revised guidelines, companies were 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 projected to create around 300 jobs.
Separately, Apple sold about 6.5 million iPhone 16 units in the first 11 months of 2025, making it the highest-selling smartphone in India during that period, according to a recent report. Data from Counterpoint Research showed that Apple outperformed Android rivals, with the iPhone 15 also ranking among the country’s top five best-selling smartphones. (Source: IANS)
