India’s mobile phone exports jumped to $3.09 billion in May 2025, a 74% leap from $1.78 billion in May 2024, based on industry data shared with the government. This is the second-highest monthly figure ever, just shy of the $3.1 billion record set in March 2025. The surge was largely fueled by Apple boosting shipments to the U.S. to dodge upcoming tariffs.
From April to May 2025, mobile exports hit $5.5 billion, up 41% from the same period last year. Electronics exports, where mobiles make up 67%, grew 47.2% to $8.26 billion, making electronics India’s top-performing export sector among the 30 major categories. The U.S., Japan, and the EU were big buyers, with Japan’s smartphone imports from India soaring 530% from $0.08 billion in FY24 to $1.2 billion in FY25.
The government’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has been a game-changer, turning India into a global smartphone manufacturing hotspot. Still, India lags behind China and Vietnam, where supportive policies have long drawn global manufacturers. Apple’s key supplier, Foxconn, shipped nearly $1 billion worth of iPhones to the U.S. in May, making up 97% of its India exports from March to May.
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Despite global trade hurdles like geopolitical tensions and U.S. tariff increases, India’s exports are holding strong. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman noted that India’s total exports reached a record $825 billion in FY25, growing faster than the global average. The Federation of Indian Export Organisations is optimistic, forecasting that exports could hit $1 trillion in FY26.
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