India’s smartphone exports to its largest market, the United States, surged by 148% year-on-year in August 2025, according to a statement from the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA). The trade body refuted claims of declining exports, stating that the sector remains India’s best-performing export segment under the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme over the last five years. The ICEA’s clarification came in response to a report by think tank GTRI, which had stated that smartphone exports to the US fell 58% between May and August 2025, from USD 2.29 billion to USD 964.8 million.
Key Export Statistics: ICEA’s Data Highlights
The ICEA highlighted the following figures,
- Overall smartphone exports in August 2025 rose by 39%, from USD 1.09 billion in August 2024 to USD 1.53 billion.
- Exports to the US alone rose from USD 388 million to USD 965 million, a year-on-year increase of 148%.
- During the April–August FY26 period, exports to the US totaled USD 8.43 billion, compared to USD 2.88 billion in FY25, nearly 80% of last year’s total (USD 10.56 billion).
- These numbers, the ICEA claimed, were evidence of sectoral resilience and not indicative of any decline.
Why Month-to-Month Comparison is Misleading
August and early September usually see reduced exports due to,
- Global customers delaying purchases ahead of new smartphone model launches in September–October.
- Retrofitting of production lines for newer models.
- Domestic companies focusing on festival-season production for India (especially for Diwali sales).
- Exports typically recover in mid-October and peak in November–December, driven by Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Christmas sales in western countries.
India’s Smartphone Export Sector: A PLI Success Story
ICEA reiterated that the smartphone sector is the top export performer under the PLI scheme, with its global ranking by HS code moving from 167th in FY15 to 1st in FY25.
Key achievements include,
- Attracting major manufacturers like Apple and Samsung to set up assembly lines in India.
- Creating a high-volume, export-led ecosystem that competes with traditional manufacturing hubs like China and Vietnam.
- As per ICEA, the sector has now become India’s largest category of merchandise exports by value, reflecting its strategic importance.
Key Facts
- India’s smartphone exports to US (Aug 2025): USD 965 million (↑148% y-o-y)
- April–Aug FY26 exports to US: USD 8.43 billion
- August 2025 overall smartphone exports: USD 1.53 billion (↑39% y-o-y)
- Key program: Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme
- ICEA rebuttal to GTRI: Monthly drops are seasonal, not structural
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