India’s smartphone manufacturers will expand their manufacturing base following the growing demand for exports, said Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman of the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA).
The ICEA on Friday announced that mobile phone exports from India have crossed ₹2 lakh crore in FY 2024-25. Smartphones have become India’s single largest export commodity. The export momentum is led by global companies such as Apple and Samsung, which have scaled their manufacturing operations significantly in India. As a result, India’s mobile phone production is estimated to have reached ₹5,25,000 crore in FY25, up significantly from ₹4,22,000 crore in the previous fiscal year.
Stating that India’s smartphone manufacturers are meeting the current export demand coming in from different parts of the world, Mohindroo said China’s tiff with the US makes India an alternative manufacturing base. Recent shifts in global trade dynamics, particularly the reciprocal tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump, have opened strategic opportunities for Indian electronics in the US market. Currently in India, the favourite places for smartphone manufacturers are Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.
Mohindroo also said, “Our priority is to nurture scale in mobile phone manufacturing, drive export-led growth, enhance competitiveness, expand into new markets, and address existing cost and operational disabilities. We need to double down on our efforts to create a sustainable, long-term ecosystem that can anchor India’s leadership in the global electronics value chain.”
Earlier, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that iPhones accounted for ₹1.5 lakh crore of the total smartphone experts. However, industry sources said that despite the export demand, domestic sales will not go demand and that demand will grow.
Surge in exports
Mohindroo also attributed the surge in exports to the implementation of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme. The scheme has attracted substantial global investments, enhancing India’s competitiveness, scale, and capability to integrate deeply into Global Value Chains (GVCs).
ICEA remains committed to facilitating policy frameworks, advocating industry interests, and nurturing India’s electronics ecosystem to achieve India’s ambitious target of $500 billion in electronics manufacturing and exports by 2030.
Published on April 11, 2025
