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Smartphones become India's top export in first 10 months of FY25: Ashwini Vaishnaw

IANS April 17, 2025 282 views

India has achieved a remarkable transformation in smartphone manufacturing, rising from the 167th export category to the top position in just a decade. The government's Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has been instrumental in this dramatic shift, enabling domestic production and global export capabilities. Smartphone exports have now touched a record Rs 2 lakh crore, with Apple playing a significant role through its key suppliers like Foxconn. This success has not only boosted economic growth but also created substantial employment opportunities, particularly for women and local MSMEs.

"Smartphone PLI scheme reaches new highs" - Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Electronics and IT"
Smartphones become India's top export in first 10 months of FY25: Ashwini Vaishnaw
New Delhi, April 17: In a historic achievement, smartphones emerged as India’s largest export category in the first 10 months of FY25 -- marking a major success story under the government’s production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, said on Thursday.

Key Points

1

India transforms from 167th to top smartphone export category

2

Smartphone exports hit record Rs 2 lakh crore

3

99% smartphones now manufactured domestically

4

Apple leads export surge with 70% shipment share

He credited the decade-long partnership between the government and industry for this feat, noting that in FY14, smartphones were ranked as India’s 167th export category -- a sharp contrast to their number 1 position today.

"Smartphone PLI scheme reaches new highs: Smartphones emerged as India’s largest export in first 10 months of FY25. In FY14, smartphone exports were ranked 167th. Number 1 position is result of a 10-year government-industry partnership,” he wrote on the social media platform X.

The Union Minister also said that smartphone exports had touched a record Rs 2 lakh crore, highlighting the transformative shift in India's electronics manufacturing ecosystem.

Calling it a record-breaking moment, Vaishnaw, in his X post, said that this achievement reflects the growth of global value chains (GVCs) within India and the rising contribution of domestic firms to global supply networks.

The smartphone sector’s rapid ascent has also translated into lakhs of new jobs, especially for women, and expanding opportunities for Indian MSMEs, as the PLI scheme deepens local value addition.

According to earlier industry reports, smartphone exports had already crossed Rs 1.75 lakh crore between April 2024 and February 2025 -- driven by robust global demand and strategic shifts by tech giants.

The growth is being largely credited to the PLI scheme, which has enabled India to not only boost exports but also dramatically reduce dependence on imports.

Currently, about 99 per cent of the smartphones sold in the country are manufactured domestically.

Apple has been the single largest contributor to India’s smartphone exports, with iPhones accounting for nearly 70 per cent of total shipments.

Earlier report suggests that the company’s key suppliers -- Foxconn in Tamil Nadu and Tata Electronics via Wistron and Pegatron units -- have played an instrumental role in ramping up output.

Foxconn alone contributed around 50 per cent of the total exports, recording a 40 per cent year-on-year (YoY) growth.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
This is amazing news! 🇮🇳 Shows what happens when government policies actually align with industry needs. The PLI scheme seems to be working wonders for our manufacturing sector. More jobs, more exports - win-win!
P
Priya M.
While this is impressive, I hope we're not becoming too dependent on Apple. 70% from iPhones is a lot! What about supporting more Indian brands to compete globally? 🤔
A
Amit S.
From 167th to 1st in just 10 years! That's some serious growth trajectory. Makes me proud to see India becoming a manufacturing powerhouse. Next stop - semiconductor fabs?
S
Sunita R.
The job creation aspect is most heartening, especially for women workers. My sister got trained and employed at the Foxconn plant last year - life changing opportunity for our family.
V
Vikram J.
Great achievement no doubt, but I wonder about the working conditions in these factories. Growth is good, but not at the cost of workers' rights. Hope the government is monitoring this aspect too.
N
Neha P.
The Tata Electronics involvement is exciting! Shows how traditional Indian companies are adapting to new tech opportunities. Maybe we'll see a Tata phone competing with Apple someday? 😄

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Tags:
Smartphone Exports Ashwini Vaishnaw PLI Scheme India Manufacturing Apple Electronics Export
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