India Emerges as Global Leader in Smartphone Manufacturing, Surpassing China as Top Supplier to the US
- byPranay Jain
- 12 Aug, 2025
India has shown remarkable strength in smartphone manufacturing, becoming the world's largest supplier of smartphones to the United States for the first time in the second quarter of 2025. According to data from research firm Canalys, India’s smartphone shipments to the US surged 240% year-on-year, rising from just 13% of all US smartphone imports in Q2 2024 to 44% in the same period of 2025. Meanwhile, China's share of smartphones shipped to the US fell sharply from 61% to 25%, marking a significant shift in global electronics supply chains.
This dramatic rise of India as a smartphone manufacturing powerhouse is largely attributed to Apple’s strategic shift of its production operations from China to India, a move accelerated by the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and intensified by the trade tensions and tariff wars initiated under former President Donald Trump. Apple’s expanded Indian production capacity now supplies more than 24 million iPhones globally in 2025, with 78% of these exports destined for the US market.
The Indian state of Tamil Nadu has become a major hub for this manufacturing boom, housing key Apple suppliers such as Foxconn, Pegatron, and Tata Electronics. Models like the iPhone 15, iPhone 16, and some Pro versions are now assembled in India, though Apple still relies on China for certain iPhone Pro model components.
Indian smartphone exports to the US have been valued at $9.35 billion in 2025, marking a 182% increase, and India shipped 21.3 million smartphones between January and May 2025, surpassing last year's exports. This growth not only underlines India's expanding role in the global technology manufacturing ecosystem but also highlights the success of India's "Make in India" campaign aimed at boosting local production and exports.
India’s rise as a smartphone manufacturing powerhouse is also supported by other major brands expanding production there, including Samsung, Vivo, and Motorola, further diversifying the global manufacturing landscape.
In summary, India’s rapid ascent to become the largest smartphone supplier to the US market represents a major geopolitical and economic shift, demonstrating the country's growing importance as a global manufacturing hub, reducing reliance on China, and cementing its position as a key player in the global electronics industry. This momentum is expected to continue, with Apple alone projected to produce up to 25% of all iPhones in India within the next few years, propelling India steadily toward technological and manufacturing leadership on the world stage.






