Shipments to the US and Japan Lead Surge Amid Government Push for Local Manufacturing
New Delhi, May 18India's smartphone exports have recorded an extraordinary rise over the past three fiscal years, with shipments to the United States increasing nearly fivefold and those to Japan growing more than fourfold, government data shows. This surge has catapulted smartphones to the top of India’s export chart for the first time, overtaking long-dominant sectors such as petroleum products and diamonds.
According to official data, smartphone exports climbed by 55 percent to USD 24.14 billion in FY 2024–25, up from USD 15.57 billion in FY 2023–24 and USD 10.96 billion in FY 2022–23.
US, Japan Among Fastest-Growing Markets
The United States emerged as India's largest growth market for smartphone exports. Shipments to the US soared from USD 2.16 billion in 2022–23 to USD 5.57 billion in 2023–24, and further to USD 10.6 billion in 2024–25.Japan followed a similar trajectory, with exports jumping from USD 120 million in 2022–23 to USD 520 million in FY25, marking a more than fourfold increase.
Other top markets showing notable growth in the last fiscal year include:
- Netherlands: USD 2.2 billion (from USD 1.07 billion)
- Italy: USD 1.26 billion (from USD 720 million)
- Czech Republic: USD 1.17 billion (from USD 650 million)
Government Policies Drive Export Boom
A senior commerce ministry official attributed this robust growth to the government’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, which has attracted significant investments and expanded domestic manufacturing capacity."This rapid ascent has propelled smartphones to become one of India's top exported goods, overtaking traditional leaders like petroleum products and diamonds for the first time," the official said.
The surge reflects India's transformation into a global hub for smartphone manufacturing and exports, as the country continues to deepen its integration into global value chains through policy support and strategic partnerships.