New Delhi: In a massive boost to the ‘Make in India’ initiative, tech giant Apple has set a new benchmark by exporting iPhones worth a staggering USD 13.2 billion (approximately Rs 1.25 lakh crore) from India during the first five months of the current financial year.
This record-breaking figure represents a 47 per cent year-on-year growth compared to the same April-August period last year. According to industry data, Apple now commands nearly half of the country’s total electronics shipments and an overwhelming 82 per cent share of all smartphone exports.
Overall smartphone exports from India surged by about 36 per cent to USD 15.96 billion during this five-month period. Notably, iPhones accounted for 98 per cent of this incremental growth. Other major players contributing to the export volumes include Samsung and Motorola (via Dixon Technologies).
The unprecedented surge in mobile manufacturing has fundamentally altered India’s trade landscape. An official familiar with the matter stated that smartphones have now officially become India’s single largest export item. During the April-August window, smartphone shipments outpaced automotive diesel exports by 21 per cent, which stood at USD 13.2 billion.
Market analysts attribute this phenomenal performance to the government’s mobile phone manufacturing schemes and the earlier Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) program. “Driven by the momentum created by Apple, mobile exports in the first five months of FY27 reached USD 15.96 billion, surpassing India’s entire full-year smartphone exports of USD 15.8 billion in FY24,” an industry analyst noted.
India’s role as a primary production hub has become integral to Apple’s global strategy. For the first time, top-tier models—including the newly launched iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max manufactured in India—were made available in the global market from the very first day of sales, matching the timeline of Chinese-made units.
The employment impact of this manufacturing boom is equally significant. Apple’s vendor ecosystem currently operates five major facilities in India—two by Foxconn and three by Tata Electronics. Industry experts note that iPhone production is now among the top five manufacturing sectors for job creation in India, employing over 1,00,000 workers during peak production months. Alongside final assembly, vendors are also increasingly producing critical local components such as printed circuit board assemblies and enclosures.