Forget fuel—Apple’s iPhone has revved up to become India’s biggest export earner in 2025, with $23 billion worth shipped out, mostly to the US. This industry-backed revelation spotlights a seismic change in the country’s trade profile.
Government’s PLI scheme and supply chain diversification from China lit the fuse for Apple’s export explosion. Annual smartphone exports hit $30.13 billion, surging past auto diesel to claim the top category throne, with Apple holding 76% of the pie.
Powering this are five assembly facilities—three Tata-operated, two by Foxconn—nurtured by 45 suppliers, including MSMEs churning out components for global and local needs. India now ranks as the planet’s #2 mobile maker, boasting over 99% local production for its market.
Buyers are upgrading tastes, ditching cheap phones for high-end ones, reports Counterpoint Research. The iPhone 16 base model dominated 2025 sales. Globally, Apple’s Q4 crushed records in America, Europe, Japan, and Asia-Pacific.
Tim Cook, during earnings, beamed about India: ‘Double-digit revenue jumps in emerging markets like ours.’ He touted records in iPhone, Mac, iPad sales, plus services, in the world’s #2 smartphone and #4 PC market. A fresh Mumbai store launches February 26.
As PLI’s five-year run ends in 2026, this iPhone-led triumph redefines India’s export story, from resource-heavy to tech-driven innovation.