India’s iPhone exports have officially crossed the historic ₹2,00,000 crore ($23–24 billion) mark in FY26, as reported on April 30, 2026. This achievement crowns Apple as India’s single largest branded export, surpassing traditional leaders like diamonds, automotive fuel, and medicines.
The surge marks a 33% increase over FY25 and solidifies India’s role as a critical global hub for Apple’s manufacturing strategy.
1. The Growth Trajectory (FY22–FY26)
The transformation of India from a local assembly point to a global export powerhouse occurred in just five years, driven largely by the government’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.
| Fiscal Year | Export Value (Approx.) | Growth Milestone |
| FY22 | ₹9,350 Crore | Early rollout of PLI scheme. |
| FY23 | ₹44,270 Crore | Scaling of Foxconn and Wistron units. |
| FY24 | ₹85,010 Crore | Nearly doubled exports YoY. |
| FY25 | ₹1,50,000 Crore | Tata Group enters as a major local manufacturer. |
| FY26 | ₹2,00,000 Crore | Largest branded export in Indian history. |
2. Apple’s Dominance in Smartphone Exports
In FY26, total smartphone exports from India reached approximately ₹2.6 lakh crore ($29.4 billion). iPhones alone accounted for over 75% of this total, with Samsung making up roughly 14%.
- Largest Export Destination: The United States emerged as the top buyer, importing Indian-made iPhones worth over $15.8 billion in the first 10 months of the fiscal year.
- Global Assembly Share: India now accounts for one in every four iPhones assembled globally, a massive shift from 2016 when 95% of production was concentrated in China.
- Economic Impact: The Apple ecosystem in India is now estimated to support 250,000 direct jobs, with women making up the majority of the assembly workforce.
3. Major Leadership Transition
The record-breaking export news coincides with a historic leadership change at Apple.
- The Announcement: On April 30, 2026, Apple announced that John Ternus (Senior VP of Hardware Engineering) will succeed Tim Cook as CEO effective September 1, 2026.
- Cook’s New Role: Tim Cook will transition to the role of Executive Chairman, where he will continue to oversee global government relations and supply chain strategy—areas where his focus on India has been particularly transformative.
4. Key Players in the Supply Chain
The scale-up was made possible by Apple’s “Big Three” manufacturing partners and a growing list of Indian component suppliers:
- Foxconn & Pegatron: Continued to drive the highest volumes from their Tamil Nadu facilities.
- Tata Electronics: After acquiring Wistron’s Karnataka unit and Pegatron’s Tamil Nadu stake, Tata has become the first Indian firm to lead major iPhone assembly operations.
- Component Ecosystem: Firms like Hindalco, Motherson, and Bharat Forge have increasingly integrated into the supply chain, helping raise local “value addition” to approximately 19-20%.