India has surpassed China to become the top exporter of smartphones to the United States in the second quarter of 2025, according to data from Canalys.
India now makes up 44 percent of smartphone imports to the US, a sharp rise from 13 percent a year earlier. Meanwhile, China’s share has dropped significantly to 25 percent from 61 percent in the same time frame.
Apple Leads the Shift
Apple played a key role in this transition by ramping up production in India as part of its “China Plus One” approach, aimed at reducing dependency on Chinese factories.
Canalys reported that India’s smartphone exports to the US rose by 240 percent year-on-year, mostly due to Apple’s shipments.
The company has begun manufacturing devices such as the iPhone 16 Pro in India, although some of its premium models are still produced in China.
Other Countries See Growth Too
Vietnam also increased its presence, now accounting for 30 percent of US imports, up from 24 percent last year.
This growth is largely attributed to Samsung’s increased output in the country. However, other smaller vendors struggled to make headway, with none crossing the 3 percent mark in market share during Q2 2025.
| Vendor | Shipments (Million) | Market Share | Q2 2024 Shipments (Million) | Q2 2024 Market Share | Annual Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | 13.3 | 49% | 14.9 | 56% | -11% |
| Samsung | 8.3 | 31% | 6.0 | 23% | 38% |
| Motorola | 3.2 | 12% | 3.1 | 12% | 2% |
| 0.8 | 3% | 0.7 | 3% | 13% | |
| TCL | 0.7 | 3% | 1.0 | 4% | -23% |
| Others | 0.7 | 3% | 1.0 | 2% | -34% |
| Total | 27.1 | 100% | 26.7 | 100% | 1% |
US Smartphone Shipments Show Modest Growth
Smartphone shipments in the US reached 27.1 million units during the quarter, showing a slight 1 percent rise compared to the same period last year.
Apple shipped 13.3 million units, holding the largest market share at 49 percent, though this was down from 56 percent a year earlier. Samsung saw a notable 38 percent increase, reaching 8.3 million units and taking a 31 percent share.
Motorola saw a small 2 percent increase, while Google and TCL each accounted for 3 percent of the market with shipments of 0.8 and 0.7 million units respectively.
Canalys also noted that several brands, especially Apple, shipped products earlier than usual to avoid possible US tariffs on imported smartphones.
Concerns over future trade policies pushed companies to move more of their production to India as a safeguard. Even with these adjustments, consumer demand remained relatively subdued.
India’s rapid rise reflects a broader shift in global supply chains as companies look to diversify away from China.
However, analysts warn that for this trend to continue, consistent investment and stable trade conditions will be essential, as much of the current growth has been driven by short-term stockpiling.