India's Android Phone Exports Surge to US & Africa, Driven by PLI Scheme

India has seen an increase in smartphone exports in the first 5 months of 2025, crossing 35 million units. Android brands are now joining Apple in using India as a key export base, especially for the US and African markets.

Motorola Shifts Export Base from China

Motorola exported 1.6 million Android smartphones from India between January and May 2025, as per The Economic Times. In comparison, it had shipped only 1 million units in all of 2024. According to Canalys report, around 99% of these 2025 exports went to the US. This shift follows a 55% tariff the US imposed on Chinese imports, compared to 26% on those from India.

Samsung Maintains Growth

Samsung exported 945,000 smartphones from India to the US during the same period, up from 645,000 units last year. As per a news report, it also shipped 11.4 million phones globally from India by May, nearly reaching half of its total 2024 exports of 25.3 million units.

PLI Scheme Drives Export Volumes

The government’s Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has reportedly played an important role in supporting export growth. Dixon Technologies, Samsung, Foxconn, and Tata Electronics are among the beneficiaries. These incentives are aimed at boosting domestic production and global shipments.

Read more: India Mobile Phone Exports Hit $3.09 Billion in May 2025, Surging 74%!

Transsion, Vivo Expand Export 

Transsion’s brands, Infinix, Tecno, and iTel, have grown exports to Africa. Dixon, which acquired a majority stake in Transsion’s India unit in May 2024, is also exploring exports of Google Pixel phones. Vivo exported 250,000 phones to Southeast Asia in early 2025, after shipping 350,000 units in 2024.

Chinese firms like Oppo and Realme are using India to export to West Asia and Africa. Oppo recorded ₹272 crore in export revenue in FY24, while Realme posted ₹114 crore. These brands are not direct PLI beneficiaries but use contract manufacturers to support exports.

Conclusion

India’s smartphone exports rose over 74% in May 2025, touching $3.09 billion. With tariff changes and growing manufacturing capacity, Android brands are increasingly relying on India to serve global demand.

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