Smartphone exports from the country are continuously increasing. Smartphones have reached the second position in terms of products exported from the country in HS code based categories. If the pace of its exports continues like this, it can overtake diesel fuel exports and occupy the top position. HS codes or Harmonized System codes are WTO’s standard system of classifying products for international trade.
Commerce Ministry data shows that smartphones worth $13.1 billion were exported during April to November in FY 2025, making it the second most exported product from India in the HS category. . In the first 8 months of FY 2025, 46 percent more smartphones were exported compared to the same period of the previous financial year. Smartphones worth $8.9 billion have been exported in the first eight months of fiscal year 2024.
According to Commerce Ministry data, smartphones were at fourth place in terms of exports from the country during April to November in the financial year 2024, but during the same period in the financial year 2025, it reached the second place. With the help of Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, Apple Inc. has increased the production and export of iPhone in the country. iPhones accounted for two-thirds of the total smartphones exported from the country in the first 8 months of FY 2025.
For the last several years, vehicle diesel fuel has remained at the top in terms of exports from the country. There was a gap of $10 billion between diesel fuel and smartphone exports during April-November of fiscal year 2023, but this gap reduced to $400 million in April-November of fiscal year 2025. Only $1.6 billion worth of smartphones were exported in FY 2028-19 and it was ranked 23rd among the products exported out of the country in the HS code category.
But two years later, the government announced the PLI scheme which attracted giant firms like Foxconn, Pegatron and Wistron, which make iPhones on contract for Apple, to manufacture in the country. These companies are producing iPhones on a large scale by setting up factories in India. Apart from this, Samsung has also increased its exports from the country.
At the beginning of the PLI scheme in FY 2020, smartphones were ranked 14th in terms of exports and at that time a total of smartphones worth $2.9 billion were exported. Within two years, smartphone exports increased to $5.7 billion. Smartphone exports increased to $11 billion in FY 2023 and reached 5th place in terms of total exports.