Apple Sees 28% Growth in iPhone Shipments in India, According to Industry Data

Apple registered a robust 28% growth in iPhone shipments in India for Q1 of 2025 (January-March) over the same period last year, industry data released on Thursday showed.

The iPhone 16 series emerged as the top-seller, occupying 54% of the market, followed by the iPhone 15 series, capturing 36% of the shipments during Q1 2025, as per the CyberMedia Research (CMR) report.

Apple's iPads too performed similarly, recording an increase in yearly growth by 18% in the same quarter.

In reaching 2025, forecasts show iPhones grabbing an 11% share of smartphone market in India, with iPads likely to achieve 33%. These are figures amidst Apple enhancing local manufacturing ambitions in India.

The company's growth trajectory in India remains strong, with double-digit year-on-year growth and its highest-ever quarterly shipments in Q1 2025. The iPhone 16 series, particularly the affordable iPhone 16e, played a large role in this achievement.

"Apple registered its strongest first-quarter performance in India till date, with nearly three million units shipped in Q1 2025 alone," said Prabhu Ram, VP Industry Research Group (IRG) at CMR.

As Apple streamlines its supply chains, India is becoming increasingly a critical hub for iPhone production, with plans for expansion of local manufacturing capacity. Ram indicated Apple is well-positioned to further its growth rate, not just through local manufacturing but also by ramping up investment in its retail presence, with new Apple-owned and operated stores in the pipeline.

Apart from that, Apple is utilizing India's manpower pool to steer efforts in fields like retailing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

Apple is said to be mulling over relocating the complete assembly of iPhones meant for the US market to India by next year, a crucial move in its global manufacturing strategy to reduce dependency on China.

While this is happening, Apple's Indian contract manufacturers are scaling up operations. Foxconn's new Bengaluru factory is to start production this month with the capacity to produce as many as 20 million iPhones at full capacity.

In the last year alone, iPhones valued at \\$22 billion were made in India, with Foxconn, headquartered in Tamil Nadu, shipping out close to 50% of Apple's exports.