Research by Aero Nutist| May 16,2025
About This Analysis
China’s smartphone brands are taking over India’s market, and this report explains why in simple terms. Brands like realme from vivo and Xiaomi hold a massive 61% market share in India as of Q1 2025, according to Canalys. Meanwhile, Indian brands like Micromax and Lava are losing ground, stuck in the "Others" category with just 27% share, as shown by Counterpoint Research. India’s smartphone market is growing fast, reaching 15.5% of global shipments in Q3 2024, says IBEF, but Chinese brands are the real winners. This analysis, backed by data from Morgan Stanley, shows how China’s smart pricing and new features keep them ahead while Indian brands struggle. Listen to our audio summary to learn more!
What You’ll Learn
1. How the Global Smartphone Market Works
The world’s smartphone market is huge, and China leads it with a 22% share of global shipments in Q3 2024, as reported by Mordor Intelligence. India is the second-biggest market, handling 15.5% of global shipments, thanks to more people using smartphones, says IBEF. In Q1 2025, the global market grew by 3%, with China and India playing big roles, according to Counterpoint Research.
2. Why Chinese Brands Are Winning
Chinese brands like realme from vivo, Xiaomi, and OnePlus from OPPO are ruling India’s market. In Q1 2025, realme from vivo had a 22% share, and Xiaomi had 12%, making up 61% together, as per Canalys. In China, the market grew 5% in Q1 2025 because of government support, says Counterpoint Research. With over 990 million mobile internet users, China’s brands have a big advantage, notes Mordor Intelligence. Their low prices and cool features make them popular in India.
3. India’s Market Growth and Struggles
India’s smartphone market is booming, with 153 million phones shipped in 2024 and a 9% revenue increase, according to Counterpoint Research. But Indian brands like Micromax and Lava are falling behind, holding only 27% in the "Others" category, as shown by Counterpoint Research. Big foreign brands like Apple, planning to make 50 million iPhones in India by 2026-2027, are taking over, per Custom Market Insights.
4. Why China Is Ahead and India Is Behind
China’s brands, like realme from vivo and OnePlus from OPPO, win with better technology, lower prices, and big production, while Indian brands lack scale. By 2032, India could handle 20% of global shipments, predicts Morgan Stanley, but right now, Chinese brands dominate because India’s brands can’t keep up.
5. Summary and Audio Feature
This report explains why Chinese brands are winning and Indian brands are losing in India’s smartphone market. Check out our audio summary and record your thoughts to join the conversation!
