Smartphones have emerged as India’s fastest-growing export category, according to official data released on Thursday, January 15th 2026. Exports of smartphones rose by $5.7 billion between April and November 2025 compared to the same period last year, marking a sharp rise in the sector’s global footprint.
This growth represents a major shift from a decade ago. In 2015, mobile phones were ranked 167th on India’s export list. During April–November FY24, smartphone exports stood at $9.07 billion. This figure more than doubled to $18.8 billion in the April–November period of FY26, the data showed.
The United States led the surge, with shipments jumping 200 per cent year-on-year. The US alone accounted for nearly two-thirds of India’s total smartphone exports during the period. Other markets also recorded strong growth. Exports to the United Arab Emirates increased by 62 per cent, while shipments to China surged by 565 per cent. Moderate growth was seen in Portugal and Spain, while new markets such as Slovakia, Israel, Latvia, Vietnam, and South Korea were added.
The rise has been driven largely by the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for mobile manufacturing and electronic components, launched in 2020. The scheme is seen as the most successful among India’s PLI programmes, helping integrate the country into global value chains led by companies such as Apple Inc.
