Mobile phone exports from India are growing at rocket speed. Last month, in January 2025, the export figure crossed the level of Rs 25,000 crore. According to industry body India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA), Apple's iPhone accounted for nearly 70 per cent of last month's export revenue. With the speed at which the export figure is growing, the total exports are now estimated to reach Rs 1.80 lakh crore in this financial year 2025, which will be 40% more than the previous financial year and an extraordinary growth of 680% since the introduction of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme in FY 2021.
What does the surge in mobile phone exports mean?
In January, the export figure of mobile phones crossed the level of Rs 25,000 crore and in this, Apple's iPhone alone had a share of about 70 percent. Apple's important contract manufacturer Foxconn's share in the total exports was 31 percent (about $ 960 million). The boom in mobile phone exports means that this category has now become the most important part of electronics exports from India. Apart from this, the US market is emerging as an important market for smartphones made in India. According to ICEA Chairman Pankaj Mohindru, for the first time, smartphones are going to be the most exported item from the country.
Production is increasing at rocket speed
Mobile phone production in India is going to touch the level of Rs 5.10 lakh crore in this financial year 2025 and it is on its way to becoming an important manufacturer in the world. Since the launch of the PLI scheme, it has grown at a rapid speed and in the financial year 2021 it was at Rs 2.20 lakh crore, which reached Rs 4.22 lakh crore in the financial year 2024. According to Pankaj, this has been possible with the support of the government and the capability of the industry. He says that now the next phase will be on increasing competition, increasing production and strengthening the supply chain so that the country's electronics manufacturing target of $ 50 thousand crore can be achieved. Pankaj said that now the goal is to make India the world's largest smartphone exporter.
