Apple AmPLIfied: India-made iPhone exports cross historic $50 billion milestone

NEW DELHI — Apple Inc. has crossed a defining threshold in its India manufacturing journey, exporting iPhones worth more than $50 billion by December 2025.1 The milestone underscores how quickly India has evolved into a strategic production base for high-end consumer electronics, helped in large part by the government’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.2

Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed the achievement on Monday, pointing to a sixfold rise in electronics production over the past 11 years under the “Make in India” programme.3 For Apple, the numbers reflect more than volume—they signal a structural shift in its global supply chain, reducing reliance on a single geography while tapping India’s growing manufacturing depth.

Export Momentum and Competitive Landscape

The export momentum has been particularly strong this year. In the first nine months of FY26 alone, iPhone shipments from India touched nearly $16 billion, taking cumulative exports during the PLI period past the $50 billion mark.4

By comparison, Samsung—India’s other major smartphone manufacturing heavyweight—exported devices worth about $17 billion over its entire five-year PLI window between FY21 and FY25.5 The gap highlights Apple’s aggressive scale-up and its focus on premium exports rather than just domestic sales.

Manufacturing Scale and Economic Impact

Apple’s production footprint in India now spans five large assembly facilities—three operated by Tata Group entities and two by Foxconn.6 Around these plants sits a wider ecosystem of roughly 45 supplier and component companies, reinforcing India’s role as a full-fledged electronics manufacturing hub rather than a final-assembly outpost.7

This expansion has had tangible economic effects:

• Top Export Category: Driven largely by iPhones, which contribute 75% of total smartphone exports, mobile phones emerged as India's single largest export category in FY25.8
• Job Creation: The broader electronics manufacturing sector now supports about 2.5 million (25 lakh) jobs nationwide.9
• Scale of Operation: Some individual factories currently employ as many as 40,000 workers at a single site.

For policymakers, the milestone strengthens the case for incentive-led industrial policy. For businesses, it signals that India is no longer just a growth market but a globally competitive production base capable of handling complex supply chains at scale.

Summary

Apple has exported over $50 billion worth of iPhones from India by December 2025, reaching the milestone well within its five-year PLI window.10 With nearly $16 billion in exports in the first nine months of FY26 alone, the company has significantly outpaced rivals and reinforced India’s position as a major global electronics hub.11 The surge has established electronics among India's top three exported items and created 2.5 million jobs.12

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: What enabled Apple to reach the $50 billion export mark?

The success is primarily attributed to the government's Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, which attracted Apple's global suppliers to establish a manufacturing base in India.13

Q2: Who manufactures iPhones for Apple in India?

iPhones are assembled primarily by five factories: three operated by Tata Group and two by Foxconn.14

Q3: How does Apple’s export performance compare with Samsung’s?

Apple has crossed $50 billion in cumulative exports during its PLI tenure so far, whereas Samsung exported approximately $17 billion during its entire five-year PLI window (FY21-FY25).15

Q4: How many jobs has the electronics sector created?

The electronics manufacturing sector now supports 25 lakh (2.5 million) jobs in India, with some plants employing up to 40,000 people at a single location.16