India Overtakes China in Smartphone Exports to US in Q2 2025
India has overtaken China in smartphone exports to the United States during the second quarter of calendar year 2025. According to research from Canalys (now part of Omdia), the share of smartphones assembled in China and exported to the US dropped significantly—from 61% a year ago to just 25% during April–June 2025.
Amid tariff-related concerns and vendors adjusting inventory levels, overall smartphone imports to the US rose by just 1% during Q2 2025. Canalys noted that most of the decline in China's share benefited India, whose made-in-India smartphone exports grew 240% year-over-year. India's share of imported smartphones in the US market rose to 44% in Q2 2025, up from just 13% in Q2 2024.
Brand-Wise Export Performance
- Apple: iPhone exports declined 11% YoY to 13.3 million units, following a 25% rise in Q1 2025.
- Samsung: Export volume increased 38% YoY to 8.3 million units.
- Motorola: Continued expansion in the US with a 2% increase to 3.2 million units.
- Google: Exported 800,000 units, marking a 13% YoY increase.
- TCL: Exports fell 23% YoY to 700,000 units.
India: Emerging Manufacturing Hub
Apple has started manufacturing and assembling iPhone 16 Pro models in India, although it still depends on Chinese facilities for meeting high US demand. Samsung and Motorola have also increased their US-bound shipments from India, though at a much smaller scale than Apple.
Q2 2025 marks the first time that India became the top smartphone manufacturing source for the US market. This shift is largely attributed to Apple’s China Plus One strategy, implemented in response to the uncertain US-China trade relationship. Over recent years, Apple has significantly expanded its production capacity in India.