India becomes top smartphone supplier to the US

India has surpassed China to become the leading smartphone exporter to the US in the second quarter of 2025, as per Canalys data.

India contributed 44% of total US smartphone imports, a significant rise from 13% a year ago, while China’s share dropped to 25% from 61% during the same period. Under its China Plus One strategy, Apple increased production in India and began making models like the iPhone 16 Pro locally. This shift helped boost India’s exports to the US by 240% year-over-year, according to Canalys. Apple still manufactures some high-end models in China but is slowly diversifying. Samsung also expanded production in Vietnam, which now holds a 30% share in US smartphone shipments, up from 24% last year.

In Q2 2025, total smartphone shipments in the US stood at 27.1 million units, showing a slight 1% rise compared to last year. Apple remained the market leader with 13.3 million units shipped and a 49% market share, though its shipments dropped 11%. Samsung followed with 8.3 million units, marking a 38% growth and 31% market share. Motorola held steady with 3.2 million units and 12% share. Google and TCL each captured 3% of the market, while other brands struggled to stay above 3%.

Analysts noted that many brands, especially Apple, shipped early to avoid future US tariffs. The risk of new trade rules pushed companies to speed up production in India. While this shift is promising for India’s tech sector, experts warn that long-term success depends on steady investment and trade stability. For now, much of the growth is due to temporary shipping strategies and not strong consumer demand.

The global supply chain for smartphones is clearly changing, with India and Vietnam emerging as key players.