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Engineering goods

Export mobile phones

India's largest single electronics export, led by big assemblers; the USA and UAE take most of it.

Free to exportHS 8517.13
HS code
8517.13
Smartphones (8517.13); other phones for cellular networks are in 8517.14.
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export under ITC(HS) Schedule 2 as checked in November 2026. Phones are mass-market goods, so the encryption controls in SCOMET Category 8 do not usually apply; check if you ship special secure devices. Used phones and e-waste follow separate rules. Confirm your exact 8-digit line on the DGFT ITC(HS) search before you ship.
Registrations
3
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 29.4 bn
to 59 countries

What is exported

Smartphone exports grew fast after the PLI scheme for large-scale electronics manufacturing; most phones are assembled in Noida, Chennai–Sriperumbudur, Bengaluru–Hosur and Hyderabad by global brands and their contract makers. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 29.4 billion of smartphones (HS 8517.13); the USA took about two-thirds, followed by the UAE, Austria, the Netherlands and the UK. For a small exporter, the real openings are as an authorised distributor-exporter of Indian-made brands, or in accessories and parts.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • SmartphonesThe bulk of exports; premium and mid-range models from global and Indian brands.
  • Feature phonesBasic phones (8517.14) for Africa and South Asia.
  • Parts and accessoriesChargers, batteries, cases, PCBAs and displays.

Where it is grown or made

  • Uttar PradeshNoida and Greater Noida
  • Tamil NaduChennai–Sriperumbudur and Hosur
  • KarnatakaBengaluru region
  • Telangana and Andhra PradeshHyderabad and Tirupati

Export packing

  • Retail boxes in master cartons, sealed with tamper tape and serial-number (IMEI) lists for each carton.
  • Lithium-battery marks and documents on cartons for air freight.
  • High-value cargo: secure trucking, insurance and airport strong rooms.

Who buys abroad

  • Brand owners (for contract-made phones)
  • Telecom operators and national distributors
  • Electronics retail chains
  • Regional trading hubs (Dubai, Singapore)

The quality buyers ask for

Network bands
2G/4G/5G bands that match the operators of the target market
Charger and port
USB-C for the EU under the common charger rule; plug type of the market
Battery
Lithium-ion cell tested to UN 38.3 and IEC 62133
Software and language
Local language support and regional software builds
SAR
Specific absorption rate within the destination limit (for example the FCC or EU limit)

Certificates

  • CE (Radio Equipment Directive)Often askedRequired for phones sold in the EU.
  • FCC equipment authorisationOften askedRequired for phones sold in the USA.
  • Local type approval (TDRA, CST and others)RequiredTelecom regulators in the Gulf and elsewhere approve each model.
  • UN 38.3 battery test summaryRequiredNeeded to ship lithium batteries by air or sea.
  • Brand distribution authorisationRequiredWritten authority from the brand owner; protects warranty and avoids seizure.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

High value, low volume: most phones move by air in palletised master cartons; sea is used for large, planned volumes.

How it travels

Air freight under IATA lithium-battery rules (PI 966/967).

Storage

Secure, climate-controlled storage; theft risk is high.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Model, IMEI, maker and importer details, regulatory marks (CE, FCC ID) and battery information.
  • Lithium battery handling mark on outer cartons where required.
  • Country of origin "Made in India".
Where to get it tested

MeitY's STQC laboratories and NABL-accredited electronics labs test safety, EMC and radio performance; many global certification bodies have labs in India. Battery UN 38.3 tests are done by NABL-accredited battery labs.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • MEDEPC (Mobile and Electronic Devices EPC)Smartphones, other mobile phones and their parts are listed under MEDEPC in Appendix 2T. ESC and TEPC also cover electronics and telecom equipment.medepc.org ↗

Quality and checks

  • EU: CE marking under the Radio Equipment Directive, including the common USB-C charger rule; RoHS and WEEE obligations.
  • USA: FCC equipment authorisation; Gulf: telecom type approval (for example TDRA in the UAE, CST in Saudi Arabia).
  • Lithium batteries inside phones: UN 38.3 test summary and dangerous-goods rules for air shipment (IATA PI 966/967).
How to start small

Do not try to build phones. Approach Indian brands for written distribution rights in one or two markets (Gulf, Africa, Nepal), confirm the models hold type approval there, and ship by air on advance payment. Accessories (chargers, cases, cables) are an easier first product.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Grey-market trading without brand authorisation — warranties fail and customs may seize goods.
  • Air shipments refused because battery documents are missing.
  • Models without local type approval or the right frequency bands.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (7)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 851713 by country, 2025-26
  2. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  3. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2) and SCOMET list (Appendix 3)
  4. Mobile and Electronic Devices Export Promotion Council (MEDEPC) — official site
  5. European Commission — Radio Equipment Directive (RED)
  6. IATA — Lithium batteries: Dangerous Goods Regulations guidance
  7. PIB — Scaling New Heights: How the PLI Scheme is Reshaping Industries (21 Dec 2024), list of the 14 PLI sectors

Trade data

Indian mobile phones exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 29.4 bn
+38.9% a year on average, 2022-23 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +21.6%
US$ 24.1 bn → US$ 29.4 bn
Buyer countries
59
Average export price
US$ 349.24
per kg · 84,078 tonnes shipped · US$ 348.65 the year before
United States of America: US$ 19.7 bnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 4.07 bnAustria: US$ 844 mnNetherlands: US$ 785 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 619 mnGermany: US$ 476 mnItaly: US$ 410 mnCzechia: US$ 397 mnSpain: US$ 282 mnFrance: US$ 269 mnMexico: US$ 235 mnTürkiye: US$ 214 mnSweden: US$ 189 mnRussia: US$ 177 mnNepal: US$ 74.7 mnHong Kong: US$ 71.5 mnPortugal: US$ 70.3 mnChina: US$ 67.4 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 66 mnGreece: US$ 65.4 mnJapan: US$ 56.3 mnThailand: US$ 36 mnSingapore: US$ 29.7 mnCanada: US$ 27.8 mnUnited States of America: US$ 19.7 bnUnited States of AmericaUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 4.07 bnUnited Arab EmiratesAustria: US$ 844 mnAustriaNetherlands: US$ 785 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 619 mnGermany: US$ 476 mnItaly: US$ 410 mnItalyCzechia: US$ 397 mnSpain: US$ 282 mnFrance: US$ 269 mnMexico: US$ 235 mnMexicoTürkiye: US$ 214 mnSweden: US$ 189 mnSwedenRussia: US$ 177 mnNepal: US$ 74.7 mnHong Kong: US$ 71.5 mnPortugal: US$ 70.3 mnChina: US$ 67.4 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 66 mnGreece: US$ 65.4 mnJapan: US$ 56.3 mnThailand: US$ 36 mnSingapore: US$ 29.7 mnCanada: US$ 27.8 mnIndia
Where Indian mobile phones goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
n/a2020-21n/a2021-222022-23: US$ 11 bn11k2022-232023-24: US$ 15.6 bn16k2023-242024-25: US$ 24.1 bn24k2024-252025-26: US$ 29.4 bn29k2025-26
India’s mobile phones exports, year by year · US$ million · year not shown

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2025-26, lowest in 2022-23 — a 50% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2022-23: US$ 233.45 per kg233.452024-25: US$ 348.65 per kg2025-26: US$ 349.24 per kg349.242020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian mobile phones · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-212021-222022-23: US$ 11 bn2022-232023-24: US$ 15.6 bn2023-242024-25: US$ 24.1 bn2024-252025-26: US$ 29.4 bn2025-262026-27: US$ 43.6 bn (US$ 38.7 bn – US$ 49.1 bn)44k2026-272027-28: US$ 61.2 bn (US$ 52.9 bn – US$ 70.8 bn)61k2027-28
India’s mobile phones exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 61.2 bn

Likely range US$ 52.9 bn to US$ 70.8 bn.

Trend
+40.4% a year
Fit (R²)
0.98
Based on
4 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1United States of AmericaUS$ 19.7 bn+86.3%
2United Arab EmiratesUS$ 4.07 bn+47.2%
3AustriaUS$ 844 mn-13.1%
4NetherlandsUS$ 785 mn-64.4%
5United KingdomUS$ 619 mn-58.1%
6GermanyUS$ 476 mn-8.7%
7ItalyUS$ 410 mn-67.4%
8CzechiaUS$ 397 mn-66.2%
9SpainUS$ 282 mn+4.5%
10FranceUS$ 269 mn-14.5%
11MexicoUS$ 235 mn-17.6%
12TürkiyeUS$ 214 mn-26.5%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. United States of AmericaUS$ 10.6 bn → US$ 19.7 bn+86.3%
  2. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 2.77 bn → US$ 4.07 bn+47.2%

Low demand

  1. JapanUS$ 517 mn → US$ 56.3 mn-89.1%
  2. ItalyUS$ 1.26 bn → US$ 410 mn-67.4%
  3. CzechiaUS$ 1.17 bn → US$ 397 mn-66.2%
  4. NetherlandsUS$ 2.2 bn → US$ 785 mn-64.4%
  5. United KingdomUS$ 1.48 bn → US$ 619 mn-58.1%
  6. FranceUS$ 315 mn → US$ 269 mn-14.5%
  7. AustriaUS$ 972 mn → US$ 844 mn-13.1%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Telephone sets, smartphones for cellular or other wireless networks — smartphones8517 13 00US$ 29.4 bn+21.6%84.1 mn piecesUS$ 349.24 per piecewas US$ 348.65

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 309.5 bn
2023
India among exporters
#5
of 117 countries
India’s share of world exports
5%
US$ 14.3 bn
Left for others to win
US$ 273.5 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 136.7 bn 47.5%
  2. 2Viet NamUS$ 26.5 bn 9.2%
  3. 3China, Hong Kong SARUS$ 26.3 bn 9.1%
  4. 4United Arab EmiratesUS$ 25.4 bn 8.8%
  5. 5IndiaUS$ 14.3 bn 5%
  6. 6CzechiaUS$ 10.8 bn 3.8%
  7. 7USAUS$ 9.22 bn 3.2%
  8. 8SingaporeUS$ 5.44 bn 1.9%
  9. 9SlovakiaUS$ 4 bn 1.4%
  10. 10GermanyUS$ 3.53 bn 1.2%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 59.6 bn 19.3%
  2. 2United Arab EmiratesUS$ 36.8 bn 11.9%
  3. 3China, Hong Kong SARUS$ 35.6 bn 11.5%
  4. 4JapanUS$ 17.4 bn 5.6%
  5. 5GermanyUS$ 12.7 bn 4.1%
  6. 6United KingdomUS$ 11.2 bn 3.6%
  7. 7CzechiaUS$ 10.9 bn 3.5%
  8. 8CanadaUS$ 6.83 bn 2.2%
  9. 9NetherlandsUS$ 6.76 bn 2.2%
  10. 10ItalyUS$ 6.75 bn 2.2%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 51.5 bnIndia 13.7% · gap US$ 44.5 bn
United Arab EmiratesUS$ 36.8 bnIndia 12.1% · gap US$ 32.3 bn
JapanUS$ 18 bnIndia 2.3% · gap US$ 17.6 bn
GermanyUS$ 12 bnIndia 8.2% · gap US$ 11.1 bn
United KingdomUS$ 11.2 bnIndia 12.8% · gap US$ 9.78 bn
CanadaUS$ 6.92 bnIndia 2.8% · gap US$ 6.73 bn
Saudi ArabiaUS$ 6.94 bnIndia 6.3% · gap US$ 6.5 bn
NetherlandsUS$ 6.69 bnIndia 8.6% · gap US$ 6.11 bn
ItalyUS$ 7.15 bnIndia 20% · gap US$ 5.72 bn
FranceUS$ 6.06 bnIndia 11.7% · gap US$ 5.35 bn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export mobile phones

India has become one of the largest smartphone assemblers in the world, and phones are now its largest single electronics export, led by global brands and their contract makers. China and Vietnam remain the main competing production bases. Demand comes from US and European brands spreading production beyond China, from the Gulf as a re-export hub, and from price-sensitive markets in Africa and South Asia. For a smaller exporter, openings are in distributing Indian brands, accessories, and parts supplied to assemblers.

  1. 01Secure brand rights

    Get written distribution rights for named countries.

  2. 02Check approvals

    Confirm type approval and bands for each model in each market.

  3. 03Agree terms

    Price, warranty support and marketing support with the brand and buyer.

  4. 04Prepare documents

    Invoice, IMEI list, battery DG documents.

  5. 05Ship by air

    Book with a forwarder experienced in lithium battery cargo; insure fully.

  6. 06Claim benefits

    RoDTEP and drawback on the shipping bill.

  7. 07Payment

    Advance payment or confirmed LC; never open account with a new buyer.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting mobile phones

Can I export phones I buy from the Indian market?
Legally yes, but without brand authorisation warranties may not apply abroad and some countries treat it as parallel import; get written rights.
What RoDTEP applies?
Appendix 4R lists smartphones at a fixed ₹24.50 per unit; confirm on DGFT.
And duty drawback?
Cellular mobile phones (851701) have 4% of FOB capped at ₹350 per piece.
Which council?
MEDEPC lists smartphones and their parts; ESC and TEPC also cover electronics and telecom.
Can phones go by sea?
Yes, with IMDG dangerous-goods rules for lithium batteries; most traders still use air for speed and security.
Sources (7)
  1. Mobile and Electronic Devices Export Promotion Council (MEDEPC) — official site
  2. European Commission — Radio Equipment Directive (RED)
  3. IATA — Lithium batteries: Dangerous Goods Regulations guidance
  4. STQC Directorate, MeitY — electronics testing and certification
  5. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10.10.2024 (Notification 32/2024-25); rates continued to 31.12.2026 by Notification 41/2026-27
  6. Gazette of India — Notification 77/2023-Customs (N.T.) dated 20.10.2023: All Industry Rates of duty drawback
  7. PIB — Scaling New Heights: How the PLI Scheme is Reshaping Industries (21 Dec 2024), list of the 14 PLI sectors

Who buys Indian mobile phones

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