India became top smartphone supplier to the US, beating China
India has become the largest supplier of smartphones to the US for the first time, overtaking China, and it’s Apple that has made this possible.
India has become the largest supplier of smartphones to the US for the first time, overtaking China, and it’s Apple that has made this possible. According to new data from research firm Canalys (now part of Omdia), Indian-made smartphone shipments to the US jumped by a massive 240 percent in the second quarter of 2025. These phones now account for 44 percent of all smartphones shipped into the US during this period, up from just 13 percent a year ago. At the same time, China’s share fell sharply to 25 percent, down from 61 percent in Q2 2024. The reason? A mix of shifting supply chains, trade tensions, and Apple’s growing dependence on Indian factories to meet US demand.
As the US and China continue to clash over tariffs and trade policies, smartphone companies have started to rethink their manufacturing strategies. For Apple, this has meant making more of its iPhones in India — especially the standard models like the iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 — while still leaning on China for the larger-scale production of Pro models. But that balance seems to be shifting. In fact, Apple has already started assembling some iPhone 16 Pro models in India, though its main Pro production still depends on Chinese factories for now.
Other brands like Samsung and Motorola have also started sending more India-made phones to the US, but their contribution to this shift is smaller in scale compared to Apple’s. Samsung, for instance, still relies heavily on Vietnam for most of its production. Motorola’s supply chain is also largely rooted in China, though it has increased output from Indian facilities in recent months.
The bigger picture here is that US smartphone makers are clearly looking to diversify where they get their phones assembled. Canalys analysts say that concerns over tariffs and unpredictable trade rules have forced vendors to front-load inventory (acquiring a large amount of inventory earlier than usual or in advance of anticipated needs) and quickly adjust their sourcing plans. India’s growing role as a manufacturing base for global smartphone brands means it’s becoming a major player in this space, and not just for low-cost phones, but for high-end devices as well.
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