Apple achieved a significant milestone in the Indian smartphone market during the first quarter of 2025, registering a 28% year-on-year growth in iPhone shipments, according to data from Cyber Media Research (CMR).

This surge translated to nearly three million iPhones shipped between January and March 2025, marking Apple’s strongest-ever first-quarter performance in India. This growth is particularly notable given that overall smartphone shipments in India declined by 7% during the same period, as high inventory levels and fewer new launches affected the broader market.

The primary driver behind Apple’s growth was the iPhone 16 series, which captured 54% of Apple’s market share in India for Q1 2025. The iPhone 16e, a more accessible variant, played a pivotal role in attracting new buyers. The iPhone 15 series followed, accounting for 36% of Apple’s shipments in the same quarter. These latest models overtook previous bestsellers, such as the iPhone 13 and iPhone 15, as the dominant contributors to Apple’s Indian shipments.

Apple’s performance was further bolstered by its expanding local manufacturing initiatives. The company’s contract manufacturers, including Foxconn, are scaling up operations, with a new plant in Bengaluru expected to produce up to 20 million iPhones at full capacity. In the past year alone, iPhones worth $22 billion were assembled in India, with Tamil Nadu-based Foxconn contributing nearly half of Apple’s exports. Industry reports also suggest that Apple may shift the entire assembly of iPhones meant for the US market to India by next year, underscoring the country’s growing strategic importance in Apple’s global supply chain.

In addition to iPhones, Apple’s iPad shipments in India saw an 18% annual growth in Q1 2025. Projections indicate that iPhones could capture an 11% share of the Indian smartphone market for the full year, while iPads are expected to reach a 33% share.

Apple’s momentum in India is also reflected in its leadership in market value share. In Q1 2025, Apple led the Indian smartphone market with a 26% value share, up from 20% in Q1 2024, highlighting strong demand for premium devices. This placed Apple ahead of competitors like Samsung and Vivo in terms of value, even though it did not rank among the top five vendors by shipment volume.

The company’s growth strategy in India extends beyond manufacturing, encompassing increased investment in its retail footprint and tapping into the country’s skilled talent pool for broader initiatives in retail, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. As India emerges as a critical hub for iPhone production and sales, Apple is well-positioned to sustain its growth momentum in the world’s fastest-growing major smartphone market.

Agencies