Apple has achieved a major manufacturing and export milestone in India, with iPhone exports crossing the $50 billion mark under the government’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. The achievement, reached by December, underscores how India has rapidly emerged as a critical manufacturing hub for the world’s most valuable technology company. With three months still remaining in Apple’s five-year PLI eligibility window, industry observers expect export numbers to climb even higher.
According to Economic Times, Apple’s iPhone exports in just the first nine months of FY26 stood at nearly $16 billion, highlighting the accelerating pace of shipments from India to global markets.
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Apple Outpaces Rivals as Exports Eclipse Samsung’s PLI Performance
Apple’s export performance stands in sharp contrast to that of Samsung, its biggest global smartphone rival and another key beneficiary of India’s PLI scheme. During its entire five-year PLI eligibility period (FY21–FY25), Samsung exported mobile devices worth around $17 billion.
Apple has surpassed this figure in a significantly shorter time frame, underlining the effectiveness of its India manufacturing strategy. The comparison also reflects Apple’s increasing focus on export-led production rather than limiting Indian facilities to serve only the domestic market. This export-heavy approach has turned India into a strategic node in Apple’s global supply chain.
Expanding Manufacturing Footprint Powers Export Growth
A major driver behind Apple’s export surge is its rapidly expanding manufacturing footprint across India. The company now operates five iPhone assembly plants—three run by Tata Group entities and two by Foxconn. These facilities are not standalone units but anchor a much broader manufacturing ecosystem.
Around 45 supplier companies, most of them micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), provide components and sub-assemblies for Apple’s India operations. Many of these suppliers serve both domestic and international markets, amplifying the export impact beyond finished iPhones. This deep supplier network has strengthened India’s role in global electronics manufacturing while generating employment and technology transfer.
Smartphones Emerge as India’s Top Export Category
Apple’s growing production scale has also reshaped India’s overall export landscape. In FY25, smartphones became India’s largest export category, driven overwhelmingly by iPhone shipments. Smartphones now account for nearly 75% of total smartphone exports, a dramatic rise from 167th place among export items in 2015.
This transformation reflects how quickly India has moved up the value chain in electronics manufacturing. What was once a marginal export segment has become a top foreign exchange earner, reinforcing the government’s push to make India a global manufacturing hub.
Government Looks Beyond PLI as Scheme Nears End
The smartphone PLI scheme is scheduled to conclude in March next year, but government officials have indicated that support for the sector will continue. According to Economic Times, a new incentive framework is being planned in consultation with industry stakeholders.
The move comes amid concerns that Indian manufacturers still face structural disadvantages compared to competitors in China and Vietnam, particularly in component ecosystems and cost efficiencies. A follow-on policy could help sustain momentum and prevent a slowdown once the current incentives expire.
Component Manufacturing Scheme Extends Momentum
To broaden the impact beyond finished smartphones, Apple’s suppliers and Samsung have been selected under the electronics component manufacturing scheme. Samsung is set to establish a display module sub-assembly unit, which will generate around 300 new jobs.
Meanwhile, five Apple-linked vendors have been chosen under the second tranche of the scheme. Apple-associated companies are expected to contribute over 60% of total investments and job creation, reinforcing Apple’s outsized role in India’s electronics manufacturing push.
A Structural Shift in India’s Manufacturing Story
Apple’s $50 billion export milestone is more than just a corporate achievement—it signals a structural shift in India’s manufacturing and export capabilities. As Apple deepens its presence and the government fine-tunes policy support, India’s position in the global electronics supply chain appears stronger than ever.
