New Delhi: Led by Apple, India’s mobile phone exports have shot up by 60% in the first half of this fiscal, closing Apr-Sept FY26 with total shipment of $13.5 billion against $8.5 billion in the same period of 2024-25. In Sept, when new iPhone hit global markets, shipments from India moved up by 95% on total export of $1.8 billion, according to numbers released by India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA).“This confirms that India’s mobile phone manufacturing sector continues to build scale, efficiency, and reliability — three pillars of sustained global competitiveness,” ICEA said, adding that US, UAE, Austria, Netherlands, and the UK were the top destinations for smartphone exports.The share of the US is estimated at around 70% of the total exports during April-Sept 2025, compared to 37% during the same period last year. “This has been led by Apple, which has made India the hub for meeting the requirements of the US customers,” market analysts said.ICEA said exports to the US have surged from $3.1 billion in April-Sept 2024 to an estimated $9.4 billion in April-Sept 2025, registering a growth of almost 200%. “This transformation underlines India’s growing role as a trusted source for global smartphone brands serving advanced markets.” Apple has been boosting production capacity at its two key suppliers in India — Taiwanese Foxconn and Tata group.Apart from Apple, other brands being exported from India include Samsung and Motorola. The Chinese trio of Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi are still focused on catering to the local Indian market, with no aggressive plans for exports.“The sustained rise in exports reflects the strong foundation of India’s mobile phone manufacturing ecosystem. Global value chains are now deeply anchored here,” ICEA chairman Pankaj Mohindroo said.ICEA estimates that mobile phone exports will reach approximately $35 billion in FY26, compared to $24.1 billion in 2024–25. This growth consolidates India’s position among the world’s leading smartphone manufacturing and export destinations.