Tata assembled $26.3B in iPhone exports under PLI, topping Foxconn. Foxconn still leads domestic iPhone production at $12.4B vs Tata's $6.3B. The split reveals Apple's dual supply chain strategy.
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Tata Electronics overtook Foxconn in assembling iPhones for export from India over the five-year production-linked incentive (PLI) period that ran from FY22 to FY26. The company's exported units had a value of $26.3 billion, compared with Foxconn's $25.6 billion, according to data compiled from vendor filings with the government.
When combining exports with domestic-market production, Tata Electronics posted a total value of $35.5 billion, giving it a 46% share of all iPhones assembled in India. Foxconn remained ahead at $38 billion. The gap comes from Foxconn's larger domestic sales. Its iPhones made for the Indian market reached $12.4 billion, roughly double Tata's $6.3 billion.
Tata entered the Apple supply chain late. It took full control of Wistron in November 2023 and bought a 60% stake in Pegatron in 2024. Foxconn started assembling iPhones in the country in 2019, before the PLI scheme existed.
The five-year data also shows how much the scheme shifted Apple's focus toward exports. Exports accounted for 73.6% of total iPhone production value from India, with the domestic market covering the rest. That domestic share still grew sharply during the period. Sales in India hit $18.6 billion, helped by aggressive trade-in offers, discounts, and a shift toward premium devices.
For Apple, having two major assemblers in India reduces dependence on any single contract manufacturer. Foxconn's domestic lead means it still drives higher volumes in the world's second-largest smartphone market. Tata's export-heavy mix aligns with Apple's use of India as an export hub. The question is whether Tata can now pull share in the domestic channel, where Foxconn has a two-year head start and a stronger production base.
In the first quarter of 2026, the iPhone 17 was the top-selling model by volume with a 4% share, despite a retail price above 82,900 rupees. The iPhone 16 came sixth at 2%, according to Counterpoint Research.
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