India has emerged as the leading exporter of smartphones to the United States for the first time during the April–June quarter of 2025, overtaking China in a dramatic shift driven by Apple’s strategic manufacturing decisions. According to data released by Canalys, now part of Omdia, smartphones made in India now account for 44% of all US-bound shipments—up significantly from 13% in the same quarter a year ago. Meanwhile, the share of Chinese-assembled phones imported by the US fell sharply from 61% in Q2 2024 to just 25% in Q2 2025.
Apple has been at the center of this change, ramping up its India-based production as part of its broader ‘China Plus One’ strategy. With escalating trade tensions and uncertain tariff outcomes between the US and China, the tech giant has realigned its supply chain to reduce over-dependence on Chinese manufacturing. The company has already begun assembling the Pro variants of the iPhone 16 series in India and has dedicated a major portion of its Indian output exclusively for the US market in 2025.
Despite this, Apple still relies on its established Chinese factories to meet the high-volume demands of Pro models in the US. Other brands such as Samsung and Motorola have also increased their smartphone exports to the US from India, though at a more modest pace. Motorola continues to manufacture primarily in China, whereas Samsung’s key production hub remains in Vietnam.
The overall US smartphone shipment volume rose by 1% in Q2 2025, as companies sought to stock up inventories in anticipation of tariff impacts. Apple led this inventory surge in late Q1 and carried the momentum into Q2. Samsung also boosted its stock, resulting in a 38% year-on-year shipment growth, largely driven by its Galaxy A-series models.
